Leaked audio ties Flávio Bolsonaro to jailed banker over R$134m film-funding demand
The right's 2026 candidate confirms a recording asking ex-banker Daniel Vorcaro to release money for a biopic of his father, widening Lula's lead
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Summary
In mid-May 2026 The Intercept Brasil published leaked audio of presidential candidate Flavio Bolsonaro (PL-RJ) pressing jailed ex-banker Daniel Vorcaro, formerly of the collapsed Banco Master, to release roughly R$134m (about US$26m), money investigators link to financing a biopic of his father Jair Bolsonaro. Flávio confirmed the recording's authenticity but denied wrongdoing; the file sits with the STF (rapporteur André Mendonça), the prosecutor-general and Vorcaro's defence. Coming alongside his brother's coercion conviction, the scandal has widened Lula's lead: an Atlas poll put Lula near 47% to Flávio's ~34% (see Lula leads Flávio Bolsonaro by double digits as the fourth-term campaign hardens).
By the numbers
- R$134m (~US$26m), sum Flávio is heard demanding be released.
- ~13 points, Atlas first-round gap, Lula over Flávio.
- André Mendonça, STF justice handling the file.
Why it matters
The right's central pitch is anti-corruption; an authenticated recording tying its candidate to a failed bank's jailed CEO erodes that ground months before the vote. Combined with the Bolsonaro family's mounting legal exposure, it reshapes the 2026 race in Lula's favour.
What to watch
- Whether the STF/PGR open a formal case and any charges.
- Banco Master collapse fallout and Vorcaro's cooperation.
- Polling movement and any pressure on the right to change its ticket.