politics
Brazilian Police Raid Properties of Senator Jaques Wagner and Others in Banco Master Probe
Federal agents executed 18 search warrants on 18 Jun 2026 targeting Senator Jaques Wagner and others linked to the liquidated Banco Master. The operation is part of a widening corruption investigation that now touches both major political camps ahead of October’s presidential election.
Jun 18, 5:13 PM·2m read1 source
Al JazeeraAudio version
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Brazilian federal police executed 18 search-and-seizure warrants on 18 Jun 2026 in Brasilia, Bahia and Sao Paulo as part of an investigation into financial irregularities at Banco Master. One warrant targeted Senator Jaques Wagner, 75, a former Bahia governor and Workers’ Party coalition leader in Congress.
Brazil’s Supreme Court authorised the search to examine a possible illicit relationship between the senator and the bank.
Investigators allege Wagner received undue economic advantages from Banco Master, including access to private planes, millions of dollars and an apartment. In exchange, he is accused of promoting a failed constitutional amendment that would have raised the amount of money insured by a bank-fed fund during crises. Brazil’s courts ordered Banco Master to be liquidated in 2025.
Its owner, Daniel Vorcaro, was arrested in March 2026 on charges of fraud, money laundering and other crimes. Other warrants served on 18 Jun 2026 targeted Augusto Lima, a former business partner of Vorcaro. Wagner posted on social media that his property is clean and said he received a phone call of solidarity from President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who expressed confidence in him.
The Workers’ Party Senate caucus issued a statement backing Wagner and urging supporters to “fear not”. The investigation has also reached the opposition. In May 2026, The Intercept Brasil published alleged WhatsApp messages between Senator Flavio Bolsonaro and Vorcaro.
The messages reportedly show Bolsonaro seeking financing from Vorcaro for a film about his father, former President Jair Bolsonaro, who is serving a 27-year prison sentence for attempting to subvert Brazil’s democracy. Senator Flavio Bolsonaro denied any wrongdoing or connection to Vorcaro’s fraud.
