How the 4 criminal activity centers commanded by Vorcaro worked

Banco Master’s criminal scheme had four areas of activity, according to Federal Police investigations revealed in the decision of Minister André Mendonça (STF), which launched the third phase of Operation Compliance Zero this Wednesday morning (4). According to investigations, there was a “financial nucleus”, responsible for structuring fraud against the financial system. Also an “institutional corruption center”, aimed at co-opting public servants from the Central Bank.

The other two referred to the “asset concealment and money laundering nucleus”, using interposed companies, and the “intimidation and obstruction of justice nucleus”, responsible for the illegal monitoring of opponents, journalists and authorities.

“The documentary evidence, message records and financial flows analyzed by the police authority so far indicate that those being investigated acted in a structured manner and with division of tasks, a typical characteristic of criminal organizations”, writes Mendonça.

Daniel Vorcaro, controller of Banco Master, was in charge of all the centers: he structured the financial operations, maintained direct and frequent dialogue with Central Bank (BC) employees under investigation, coordinated the articulation of simulated contracts for transferring values ​​and had other contracts with the group that obtained information and monitored people.

When contacted, Vorcaro’s defense said that “the businessman was always available to the authorities, cooperating transparently with the investigations from the beginning, and never tried to obstruct the work of the authorities or Justice”.

The lawyers also deny “the allegations attributed to Vorcaro” and state that the banker trusts that “the complete clarification of the facts will demonstrate the regularity of his conduct”. He also reiterated his “confidence in due legal process and the regular functioning of institutions”.

The financial and asset hiding and money laundering centers have more well-known elements, but Mendonça’s decision also details the actions with BC employees and the intimidation nucleus.

The meetings with BC employees went beyond the protocol meetings between the controller of a financial institution and a public servant, the decision describes.

“In this context, communications were identified in which the investigated person (BC employee) requested strategic guidance on the conduct of institutional meetings, the preparation of documents and the approach to sensitive topics before regulatory authorities”, writes Mendonça.

One of them, Paulo Sérgio Neves de Souza, for example, shared with Vorcaro via WhatsApp an image of the Official Gazette with his appointment to the position of deputy head of Banking Supervision at the BC. Vorcaro responds: “Congratulations.”

“Even though he is a servant at Bacen (Central Bank), Paulo Sérgio becomes a kind of employee/consultant to Vorcaro”, writes Mendonça, about advice that the public servant gave to the banker, on how to behave in meetings. There are many messages in this regard. The same behavior was seen in communication with another BC server targeted by the operations, Belline Santana.

When contacted, the former BC directors have not yet spoken out. The BC has not yet released a new position.

In relation to the core of intimidation and obstruction of justice, Vorcaro issued direct orders to carry out acts of intimidation against people, such as competitors, former employees and journalists.

Records were also identified that he had prior access to information related to the carrying out of investigations, “having made notes and communications relating to authorities and procedures associated with ongoing investigations”.