Flávio Bolsonaro Asked Jailed Banker for $24 Million to Fund Movie
Brazil: Power & Money
Key Facts
—Allegation. Leaked messages published by The Intercept Brasil on 13 May 2026 show Senator Flávio Bolsonaro asked Banco Master owner Daniel Vorcaro for US$24 million (about R$134 million) to finance “Dark Horse,” a biopic about his father, Jair Bolsonaro.
—Payments. At least US$10.6 million (about R$61 million) was paid between February and May 2025 in six transfers to Havengate Development Fund LP, a Texas fund linked to allies of Eduardo Bolsonaro.
—The banker. Vorcaro was arrested on 17 November 2025 at São Paulo’s Guarulhos airport while trying to board a flight to Dubai. The Central Bank liquidated Banco Master the next day; the alleged fraud left a R$47 billion (about US$9 billion) hole in Brazil’s deposit-guarantee fund.
—Denial. Flávio admits asking Vorcaro for money but calls it private sponsorship for a private film, with “zero public money” and no favors in return. His campaign asked the Supreme Court to investigate the leak.
—Legal status. No charges have been filed against Flávio as of August 2026. The Missão party has asked the Senate Ethics Council to strip him of his mandate.
Leaked messages and bank records link Senator Flávio Bolsonaro to Brazil’s biggest bank fraud through a US$24 million funding request for a film about his father — a connection that has thrown his 2026 presidential campaign into crisis.
The Messages: What The Intercept Revealed
On 13 May 2026, The Intercept Brasil published messages, audio recordings, documents, and bank receipts documenting direct negotiations between Flávio Bolsonaro and Daniel Vorcaro, the owner of Banco Master. The material shows the senator pressing the banker for money to cover expenses for “Dark Horse,” a biopic about Jair Bolsonaro.
In an audio message dated 16 November 2025 — one day before Vorcaro’s arrest — Flávio apologizes for chasing overdue payments. “It’s at a very decisive moment for the film, and with so many installments behind, everyone is tense and worried,” he says. In a text from the same day, he adds: “Brother, I am and always will be with you. There are no half-conversations between us. I just need you to give me some light!”
An earlier audio from September 2025 shows Flávio warning Vorcaro about the risk of defaulting on commitments to Hollywood names attached to the project. He cites actor Jim Caviezel, cast as Jair Bolsonaro, and director Cyrus Nowrasteh. According to the reporting, the negotiations also involved federal deputy Mário Frias, Eduardo Bolsonaro, businessman Thiago Miranda, and Fabiano Zettel, whom the Federal Police have identified as a financial operator for Vorcaro.
The Money Trail
The records indicate that Flávio negotiated a contribution of US$24 million, roughly R$134 million at the exchange rates of the time. At least US$10.6 million, about R$61 million, was actually paid between February and May 2025 in six operations.
The money was sent to Havengate Development Fund LP, a fund based in Texas and linked to allies of Eduardo Bolsonaro. The production company behind “Dark Horse” has publicly denied receiving the funds, leaving the final destination of the money unclear. Federal Police and securities regulator CVM were already investigating Banco Master when the messages were exchanged.
Vorcaro was arrested on 17 November 2025 at Guarulhos airport, trying to board a flight to Dubai. The Central Bank ordered Banco Master’s liquidation on 18 November 2025. The alleged fraud at the bank left a hole of about R$47 billion (about US$9 billion, at the August 31, 2026 rate of R$5.18 per dollar) in the Fundo Garantidor de Crédito, the deposit-guarantee fund that protects savers.
Flávio’s Defense
Flávio Bolsonaro initially denied that Vorcaro financed the film, calling the claim “a lie.” Hours later, in a written statement, he admitted asking the banker for money but framed it as private sponsorship. “What happened was a son looking for PRIVATE sponsorship for a PRIVATE film about his own father’s story. Zero public money. Zero Rouanet law,” he said, adding that he first met Vorcaro in December 2024, before any public accusations against the banker.
His campaign has petitioned the Federal Supreme Court (STF) to investigate how the conversations were leaked. The fallout has nonetheless been severe: the Missão party asked the Senate Ethics Council to open proceedings to strip Flávio of his mandate, and opponents have called for his preventive arrest. The senator counters by demanding a full congressional inquiry — a CPI — into Banco Master.
The Political Context: Why This Matters
Flávio Bolsonaro is the eldest son of Brazil’s most polarizing former president and was widely seen as Jair Bolsonaro’s closest political adviser during the 2019–2022 presidency. He is now a pre-candidate for the presidency himself in the October 2026 election, after his father was ruled ineligible until 2030 and imprisoned following his September 2025 conviction for plotting a coup.
The scandal is not his first. The “rachadinha” case alleged that employees in his Rio de Janeiro state assembly office kicked back part of their salaries. Prosecutors charged him in 2020, but courts threw out key financial evidence and the charge was rejected in 2022. A related civil case was archived at the end of 2024. Flávio has never been convicted.
This time the amounts are larger and the evidence — in the form of his own voice — is harder to dismiss. Early reactions in betting markets and polling analysis suggested the revelations damaged his candidacy, and several allies have quietly urged him to step aside. Whether prosecutors file charges will depend on evidence that the transfers bought political favors, which Flávio denies.
What Happens Next
The Senate Ethics Council will decide whether to open formal proceedings on the cassação request, a process that could run for months. Separately, federal investigators continue to map Vorcaro’s network of political contacts across parties, which reportedly extends well beyond the Bolsonaro family.
For now, the case remains a political crisis rather than a criminal one for the senator. But with the first round of the presidential election due in October 2026, every new leak lands on the campaign trail. The Banco Master collapse has become the defining corruption story of this election cycle.
Frequently Asked Questions
Did Flávio Bolsonaro take money from Banco Master’s owner?
Leaked messages show he asked banker Daniel Vorcaro for US$24 million for a film about his father. At least US$10.6 million was paid to a linked US fund. Flávio calls it private sponsorship and denies any crime. No charges have been filed as of August 2026.
What is the film “Dark Horse”?
A biopic of former president Jair Bolsonaro, with Jim Caviezel cast in the lead role and Cyrus Nowrasteh directing. Its current production status is unclear.
What happened to Banco Master?
Owner Daniel Vorcaro was arrested on 17 November 2025, and the Central Bank liquidated the bank a day later. The alleged fraud left a R$47 billion (about US$9 billion) hole in Brazil’s deposit-guarantee fund.
Connected Coverage
The Banco Master scandal continues to reverberate through Brazilian politics and finance.
Sources: The Intercept Brasil; Estadão; CNN Brasil; STF.
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated newsroom system. How we use AI · Report an error
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