Jaques Wagner Investigation: Brazil Senator Probed Over 74 Calls, Carbon-Credit Bill
Brazil
Key Facts
—Phone calls Federal Police identified 74 voice calls totaling more than 5 hours and 30 minutes between Senator Jaques Wagner and Augusto Ferreira Lima between November 17, 2023, and May 25, 2025.
—Search warrants On June 18, 2026, police executed 18 search-and-seizure warrants in the operation targeting Wagner and others in the Federal District, São Paulo, and Bahia, authorized by Supreme Court Justice André Mendonça.
—Carbon-credit bill Investigators found three amendments on Daniel Vorcaro’s phone tied to PL 412/2022, a carbon-market bill for which Wagner was rapporteur for under a month in November 2022. The amendments were presented by Senator Efraim Filho in September 2023, when Wagner was no longer rapporteur, and the police report records no direct Wagner-Vorcaro contact over the bill.
—Key figure Augusto Ferreira Lima, the recipient of the calls, is a former business partner of Daniel Vorcaro and owner of Banco Pleno; he was targeted in the 9th phase of Operação Compliance Zero.
—Wagner’s response Senator Jaques Wagner has denied any wrongdoing and stated he did not receive funds from Banco Master, according to reports.
The Jaques Wagner investigation by Brazil’s Federal Police has placed the prominent senator under scrutiny, with authorities alleging he maintained extensive voice-call contact with a figure linked to the Banco Master group and briefly oversaw a carbon-credit bill connected to amendments found on a businessman’s phone.
The 74 Voice Calls Under Scrutiny
Federal Police records have publicly linked Senator Jaques Wagner (PT-BA) to 74 voice calls with Augusto Ferreira Lima, a former business partner of Daniel Vorcaro and the owner of Banco Pleno. According to data cited by Valor International, the calls occurred over a 555-day period, from November 17, 2023, to May 25, 2025, and totaled more than 5 hours and 30 minutes of conversation.
Investigators allege that the reliance on voice calls, rather than written communication, was a deliberate method to avoid leaving a documentary trail regarding dealings with the Banco Master group. The police findings were part of the justification for search-and-seizure warrants executed on June 18, 2026.
Augusto Ferreira Lima was himself a target of the 9th phase of Operação Compliance Zero on the same date. The warrants against Wagner, authorized by Supreme Court Justice André Mendonça, involved 18 searches across the Federal District, São Paulo, and Bahia.
The Carbon-Credit Bill Connection
A separate thread of the investigation emerged in late July 2026, linking the probe to carbon-credit legislation. On July 30, the newspaper O Tempo reported that the Federal Police had discovered three amendments on Daniel Vorcaro’s phone that were presented by Senator Efraim Filho to PL 412/2022, a bill regulating the carbon market in Brazil.
The police report described the files, which were sent to Vorcaro by an individual involved in an environmental credits project, as “fundamentais” (fundamental) for the text under discussion. Senator Jaques Wagner’s connection to the bill stems from his brief tenure as its rapporteur, a role he held for approximately one month in November 2022.
The investigation is examining the nature of the relationship between the legislative process and the individuals involved. Authorities have not yet filed formal charges related to the carbon-credit bill, and the findings remain part of an ongoing inquiry.
The Banco Master/Vorcaro Nexus
The investigation centers on the broader Banco Master/Vorcaro case, which has drawn in multiple political and business figures. Daniel Vorcaro is a key figure in the financial group, and Augusto Ferreira Lima is identified as his ex-sócio (former business partner).
The Federal Police’s interest in Wagner appears to stem from the frequency and duration of his contact with Lima during a period when the Banco Master group was under regulatory and legal scrutiny. The allegation, as reported by Valor International, is that the voice calls were used to discuss matters without generating written records that could be easily audited or subpoenaed.
The Supreme Court’s authorization of the June 2026 warrants indicates the investigation has reached a stage where physical and digital evidence is being collected to determine the full scope of the interactions.
Wagner’s Defense and Denial
Senator Jaques Wagner has publicly responded to the allegations, denying any wrongdoing. According to reports, Wagner stated that he did not receive any funds from Banco Master and has rejected the implications of the police findings.
His defense has not yet provided a detailed public explanation for the 74 voice calls with Augusto Ferreira Lima or the specific nature of their conversations. The senator’s brief role as rapporteur for PL 412/2022 in November 2022 is a matter of public legislative record, and his team has not commented in detail on the amendments found on Vorcaro’s phone.
As the investigation is ongoing, all allegations remain unproven, and Wagner is presumed innocent under Brazilian law. The Federal Police continue to analyze the seized materials from the June 2026 operation.
Timeline of the Investigation’s Public Revelations
The public disclosure of the Jaques Wagner investigation has unfolded in distinct phases. On June 18, 2026, the Federal Police executed the 18 search-and-seizure warrants, marking the first visible action against the senator in this case.
On July 30, 2026, O Tempo revealed the carbon-credit angle, reporting on the three amendments tied to PL 412/2022 found on Vorcaro’s phone and Wagner’s former rapporteurship. The following day, July 31, 2026, additional reporting further detailed the connection between the amendments and the environmental credits project.
The investigation remains under the supervision of the Supreme Court, and no trial date or formal indictment has been announced. The Federal Police have not disclosed whether the 74 calls are linked to the carbon-credit bill or represent a separate line of inquiry.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Jaques Wagner investigation about?
The Jaques Wagner investigation by Brazil’s Federal Police is examining 74 voice calls between the senator and Augusto Ferreira Lima, a figure linked to the Banco Master group, as well as Wagner’s brief role as rapporteur for a carbon-credit bill (PL 412/2022) connected to amendments found on a businessman’s phone.
How many phone calls are under scrutiny in the probe?
Federal Police records show 74 voice calls between Senator Jaques Wagner and Augusto Ferreira Lima, totaling more than 5 hours and 30 minutes, over a period from November 17, 2023, to May 25, 2025.
What has Senator Jaques Wagner said about the allegations?
Senator Jaques Wagner has denied any wrongdoing and stated that he did not receive funds from Banco Master. The investigation is ongoing, and all allegations remain unproven.
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