The Intercept: Unrequested by Prosecutor’s Office, Moro Steered Federal Police in Lava Jato

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Messages exchanged between task force prosecutors and Federal Police (PF) delegates show that Moro ordered a search and seizure action with no request from the Prosecutor’s Office (MP), which is irregular.

“Russo granted a search that was not requested by anyone…hahaha,” wrote Luciano Flores, a PF delegate assigned to Lava Jato in February 2016, in the Secret Friend group. Russo is said to be Moro’s nickname among prosecutors and delegates.

“How so?”, answered Renata Rodrigues, another PF delegate working at Lava Jato. “Normal…leave it alone…I’ll fix it…hahaha”, Flores wrote to the group.

The dialogues took place days before the bench warrant (when the person needs to provide explanations, even against their will) of former president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.

Even though he has a permanent residence, Lula was forcibly taken to testify to the Federal Police on March 4th, 2016, in the 24th stage of Lava Jato. The decision was taken by Moro. At the time, the case was regarded as abuse by specialists.

February 27th, 2016 – Secret Friend Group

Luciano Flores – 17:47:27 – Esteemed friends, we have eight bench warrants. Whoever has questions to be asked please send them to me so I can pass them on to the teams that will be hearing them on the morning of ‘D’ day.
Flores – 5:48:24 PM- Prosecutors, please let me know if you are going to take part in any of the hearings of suspects
Flores – 5:48:48 PM- So far…
Roberson Pozzobon – 6:08:51 PM- Great, Luciano
Orlando Martello – 6:09:52 PM- Luciano, Is the date maintained for now?
Athayde Ribeiro Costa – 6:10:44 PM- Ok. We will write it down and send it to you.
Flores – 6:12:08 PM – Yes. Friday’s date is still on, right?
Flores – 6:18:04 PM- Russo granted a search that was not requested by anyone…hahaha
Renata Rodrigues – 6:18:20 PM – hahaha
Rodrigues – 6:18:20 PM – How so?!
Flores – 6:18:37 PM – Normal… let it be…
Flores – 6:19:40 PM – I’ll fix it…hahaha

Moro helped to plan action that led to Lula’s bench warrant

Other dialogues, exchanged on the day of Lula’s bench warrant, show that Moro assisted in planning the operation, providing guidance on what materials should be seized. On that day, 44 judicial orders were executed, 33 of which were search and seizure warrants and 11 were bench warrants.

Márcio Anselmo, a PF delegate who worked at Lava Jato, wrote to the Secret Friend group: “Are you going to ask to seize the union’s bank accounts??”. The Metalworkers Union of São Bernardo do Campo (SP), which was once presided over by Lula, was very popular with the former president in 2016.

“Moro asked for caution in this apprehension. I think it’s well worth seeing exactly what we’re going to seize,” said prosecutor Roberson Pozzobon.

Legally, a judge is required to authorize operations of this kind to be carried out, but not to guide the way in which they should take place.

In the chat, prosecutors and PF delegates start debating whether the request for seizure in the union would be valid. “It will be difficult to check this on the spot,” wrote delegate Igor Romário de Paula.

Shortly afterward, Pozzobon replied: “Igor, can you call Moro and explain?”. Upon being told that Moro was in a hearing at that moment, the prosecutor urged them to stay calm. “I think it’s worth asking the team to wait a while to get the judge’s approval,” he said.

The dialogues took place on the morning of March 4th, 2016, at the same time as the searches and bench warrants in the operation’s 24th stage were carried out. Lula’s deposition, for instance, ended at 11:40 AM that day, at Congonhas airport.

March 4th, 2016 – Secret Friend Group

Márcio Anselmo – 10:50:34 – Are you going to ask to seize the union bank accounts???
Roberson Pozzobon – 10:53:23 – Moro asked for restraint in this seizure. I think it’s worth seeing exactly what we’re going to seize
Anselmo – 10:53:45 AM – The people there asked to correct the warrant
Anselmo – 10:53:58 AM – I don’t know what to do
Igor Romario de Paula – 10:54:38 AM – It will be difficult to check this out on the spot
Anselmo – 10:55:58 AM – Awaiting your decision
Deltan Dallagnol – 10:56:20 AM – Agree, everything
Anselmo – 10:56:21 AM – There are many valuable things
Pozzobon – 10:56:29 AM – Igor, can you call Moro and explain?
Anselmo – 10:56:33 AM – Moscardi said that there is something worth more than 100,000
Pozzobon – 10:56:41 AM – Or Marcio
Anselmo – 10:56:41 AM – Moro is in a hearing
Pozzobon – 10:57:24 AM – I think it’s worth asking the team to wait a while to get the judge’s approval.
Dallagnol – 10:57:52 AM – good
Renata Rodrigues – 10:58:16 AM – Márcio is requesting an extension of the warrant to enable seizure
Anselmo – 10:59:01 AM – I ordered it
Dallagnol – 10:59:06 AM – Good

The other side

Contacted by The Intercept, the Lava Jato task force said it did not acknowledge the messages that have been credited to its members.

“The material comes from cybercrime and has been used, edited or taken out of context, to support accusations and distortions that do not reflect reality. The website undermines the right to reply by not providing all the material it claims to use in its publication,” replied the press office.

“The timing for the execution of the operation’s stages takes into account several factors, including the work ability of the Federal Court, the Police and the Federal Prosecutor’s Office. The operation involving the construction company Queiroz Galvão was carried out in August 2016 (33rd stage), and its executives were indicted soon after,” wrote the task force’s press office.

Source: UOL