On Thursday, the Brazilian Federal Police searched 49 properties belonging to individuals accused of participating in a network that illegally raised funds to finance a biographical film about former President Jair Bolsonaro (2019–2022), a far-right politician who is currently serving a 27-year prison sentence for plotting a coup.
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The homes and offices searched belong to 29 individuals under investigation for the potential illegal financing of the film Dark Hors*; among them are Congressman Mario Frias—an actor and former Secretary of Culture—and businesswoman Karina Ferreira da Gama, the film’s executive producer.
The search and seizure orders were issued by Justice Flávio Dino of the Supreme Federal Court (STF)—a former Minister of Justice under President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva—who is the presiding judge in the case.
The investigation seeks to determine whether parliamentary amendments to the national budget were illegally used to finance the biographical film, which has not yet been released. According to the Federal Police, the probe targets public officials and private individuals accused of belonging to a criminal organization suspected of diverting public funds to companies contracted irregularly, without actual proof that services were rendered.
If convicted, the accused could face charges including embezzlement, document forgery, money laundering, criminal conspiracy, and procurement irregularities. In this context, Frias—who wrote the screenplay for the Bolsonaro film—is accused of directing budget funds to a non-governmental organization linked to the producers.
BOMBA! STF INCLUI Flávio Rachadinha como INVESTIGADO por LAVAGEM DE DINHEIRO, EVASÃO DE DIVISAS E CORRUPÇÃO no caso do filme “Dark Horse”.
A apuração mira o esquema que envolve R$ 65 MILHÕES de Vorcaro, fundo no TEXAS e DESVIO DE DINHEIRO PÚBLICO!
O BRASIL QUER FLÁVIO… pic.twitter.com/LL7PVIlfXD
— Pedro Rousseff 1⃣3⃣0⃣0⃣ (@pedrorousseff) September 11, 2026
The text reads, “BOMBSHELL! STF INCLUDES Flávio Rachadinha as INVESTIGATED for MONEY LAUNDERING, CURRENCY EVASION AND CORRUPTION in the ‘Dark Horse’ film case. The investigation targets the scheme involving R$65 MILLION from Vorcaro, a fund in TEXAS and DIVERSION OF PUBLIC MONEY! BRAZIL WANTS FLÁVIO RACHADINHA IN PRISON!”
Congress members Bia Kicis and Marcos Pollon—all members of the far-right Liberal Party (PL)—are also under suspicion. The three lawmakers allegedly allocated approximately 2.6 million reais, equivalent 508,750 usd, to the non-governmental organization in which Ferreira da Gama is a partner.
Although lawmakers have the right to allocate a portion of their funds to public works or organizations engaged in social projects, the money was allegedly used to finance the film.
n addition to this investigation, the Supreme Court has opened another inquiry to determine the destination of funds donated by Daniel Vorcaro—the controlling shareholder of the now-defunct Banco Master, who is currently imprisoned on charges related to the largest banking fraud in Brazilian history.
This investigation is based on messages found on the banker’s mobile phone, in which Senator Flávio Bolsonaro—the eldest son of the former president and the main opposition candidate in the October presidential election—asks Vorcaro to expedite the disbursements.
According to the news outlet Intercept Brasil, Vorcaro reportedly disbursed at least US$11.9 million in 2025 to finance the film, but the funds were deposited into U.S. accounts belonging to individuals close to the Bolsonaro family.
Polls identify Flávio Bolsonaro as Lula’s main rival in the October presidential election, and recent surveys show them in a statistical dead heat for a potential runoff.
#Brazil | The Supreme Court authorized the Federal Police to investigate allegations of fraud related to the financing of a biographical film about former President Jair Bolsonaro, who remains imprisoned for attempting a coup d’etat.
Justice Andre Mendonça, who is overseeing the… pic.twitter.com/WhNv1CC08b
— teleSUR English (@telesurenglish) July 23, 2026
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