Who's who in the Vorcaro case

Arrested in November 2025 and released 11 days later, he returned to pretrial detention on March 4, 2026. Two of his plea deal proposals were rejected by the Federal Police and prosecutors.

Their side: His lawyers say the leaked conversations are selective and taken out of context, and have asked the Supreme Court to revoke his detention.

Sources: CNN Brasil, Jornal do Brasil, Poder360, Gazeta do Povo, Jornal de Brasília

Identified by the Federal Police as a go-between for Vorcaro's payments to the film Dark Horse. He reached a plea deal with prosecutors, approved in September 2026.

Sources: Congresso em Foco, Poder360

Arrested in phase 1 of the operation and released by the TRF-1 appeals court along with Vorcaro in November 2025. He was a target of phase 9 in June 2026.

Sources: CNN Brasil, Wikipédia

Brokered Vorcaro's sponsorship of the film Dark Horse, according to CNN. He was a target of phase 10 of the operation in July 2026, in an investigation into an alleged social media campaign against the Central Bank.

Their side: His lawyers deny he committed any crime.

Sources: CNN Brasil, SBT News, Brasil 247

Assigned rapporteur of the case at the Supreme Court since February 2026. He ordered Vorcaro's second arrest, unsealed the Federal Police report on Moraes and approved the plea deal of businessman “Mineiro”. Since September 12, the files have been with the court's presidency; Fachin's office says the rapporteur has not formally changed.

Sources: Agência Pública, JOTA, Wikipedia (EN), ConJur

Named in reports on his wife's law firm's contract with Master and in a Federal Police report on contacts attributed to him and to Vorcaro. The Supreme Court has not yet ruled on the validity of that report. In September 2026, O Globo released a video of him getting off a jet linked to Vorcaro.

Their side: Denies any wrongdoing. He said his meetings with the Central Bank governor were about the Magnitsky Act. In March 2026, the Supreme Court said messages attributed to him were not addressed to him. On the flight, his wife's law firm says it hires air taxi services and that Vorcaro was not on board.

Sources: CNN Brasil, Gazeta do Povo, Congresso em Foco, CNN Brasil (2)

The case's first rapporteur at the Supreme Court, he stepped down in February 2026 after the Federal Police found mentions of him on Vorcaro's phone.

Their side: At the time, the Supreme Court issued a statement saying there was no reason to question his impartiality.

Sources: Wikipedia (EN), Agência Pública

Suspended the conflicting decisions on the Federal Police leadership and called the September 15 session. On September 12, he moved the Compliance Zero files to the presidency and took over the petition on the report about Moraes. On October 13, he told the police that every mention of a justice must be sent to the court.

Sources: Times Brasil (CNBC), ConJur, Agência Brasil

Asked for more time to review the case at the September 15 session, which suspended the ruling on the Federal Police report. He also authorized Operation Make Up.

Sources: Congresso em Foco, Wikipedia (EN)

Received Vorcaro and Master's lawyers at the Supreme Court in April 2024 and voted against the bank in the case they discussed. On September 28, 2026, he asked for the justices named in the case to be identified before the ruling on Moraes.

Their side: Says the 2024 meeting was institutional and that he voted against Master's interests.

Sources: Conjur, CNN Brasil

Vorcaro's messages mention a “Turma do KN” (“KN group”), which would allegedly refer to him, tied to a contract for up to R$427 million in legal fees. On September 28, 2026, Gilmar Mendes said he may be barred from ruling on the case.

Their side: Denies ever voting in Master's favor, says there is an attempt to build a narrative to incriminate him and that it is irresponsible to link his work to services provided by his son or by third parties.

Sources: CNN Brasil, CNN Brasil (2)

His office rejected Vorcaro's second plea deal proposal and asked for the Federal Police report on Moraes to be annulled. On September 25, the Superior Council of the Federal Prosecution Service unanimously kept him in charge of the Master cases and voted 5–4 not to open an investigation into his conduct.

Sources: Poder360, CNN Brasil, Conjur

Mendonça ordered his removal on September 8, 2026, a decision Fachin suspended the next day. He remains in office while Fachin awaits an opinion from prosecutors. On October 13, he met Fachin about the mentions of justices.

Sources: Wikipedia (EN), Times Brasil, Agência Brasil

According to The Intercept Brasil, he negotiated directly with Vorcaro the funding of Dark Horse, a film about Jair Bolsonaro.

Their side: He first denied the report. He later acknowledged the contact and said he was seeking investment for the film.

Sources: Intercept Brasil, Agência Pública

Released a “dossier” on the Federal Police report involving Moraes. In September 2026, audio recordings surfaced in which he asks Vorcaro for help releasing a mining asset.

Their side: Confirmed he spoke with Vorcaro, but denies any relationship with him and says he never received money from him.

Sources: Poder360, CNN Brasil

Target of searches in phase 5 of the investigation in May 2026. According to the Federal Police, the lack of information about him weighed in the rejection of Vorcaro's plea deal proposal.

Sources: Wikipedia (EN), Brasil de Fato

Target of warrants in phase 9 of the investigation in June 2026, when he was the government's leader in the Senate. He stepped down from that post soon after.

Their side: He said he was stepping down to prove his innocence.

Sources: Wikipedia (EN), Wikipédia

Publicly backed BRB's purchase of Master in 2025; BRB is controlled by the Federal District government. A Federal Police report made public on October 9, 2026, points to his “direct interference” in the talks; there are no charges, and his lawyers deny any interference in BRB's transactions.

Sources: Wikipédia, Metrópoles, CNN Brasil

Screenwriter of Dark Horse, according to The Intercept Brasil. He was a target of Operation Make Up in September 2026, in an investigation into the alleged diversion of congressional budget amendments.

Their side: In May 2026, he said he had not received money from Vorcaro.

Sources: Intercept Brasil, Wikipédia, Wikipedia (EN)

Target of searches in phase 8 of the operation in May 2026, which investigates about R$3 billion from Rioprevidência, the state pension fund, invested in Master.

Sources: Wikipedia (EN), Wikipédia

Under his leadership, the Central Bank blocked the BRB deal and placed Master under liquidation.

Their side: He confirmed meeting Moraes but denied that Master was the subject.

Sources: Wikipedia (EN), CNN Brasil

Ran the Federal District's state-owned bank during the attempt to buy Master. He was arrested in April 2026.

Source: Wikipédia