Brazil Chief Justice Fachin takes over Moraes-Vorcaro inquiry and sets plenary hearings

Reassignment of court proceedings

Supreme Court President Edson Fachin decided on 12 September 2026 to take over as rapporteur for the case examining communications between Justice Alexandre de Moraes and banker Daniel Vorcaro. Fachin also assumed authority over decisions regarding the secrecy of Vorcaro's confiscated mobile phone and removed cases concerning fraud in the National Institute of Social Security (INSS) from Justice André Mendonça. In addition, Fachin rejected a request from Moraes to evaluate alleged misconduct by Mendonça during the extraordinary plenary session scheduled for 15 September 2026. Instead, the plenary will review the inquiries concerning Moraes on 15 September, while the petition against Mendonça is scheduled for 23 September 2026. Moraes had argued that separate hearings carried a concrete risk of contradictory decisions and procedural chaos.

Clashing factions over digital evidence

The division inside the court widened following reciprocal releases of confidential files by the two justices earlier in September. Mendonça unsealed a Federal Police report on 1 September 2026 indicating that Vorcaro, the former head of Banco Master, sought advice from Moraes before his arrest. Moraes responded on 3 September 2026 by lifting secrecy on police intelligence reports alleging irregular actions by Mendonça. Justices Cristiano Zanin, Alexandre de Moraes, and Gilmar Mendes subsequently petitioned Fachin for full access to data extracted from Vorcaro's iPhone 17 Pro. Mendonça stated that the physical device remains with the Federal Police to safeguard custody, while his encrypted backup hard drive remains sealed. Zanin formally objected to withholding the digital files from the full bench.

“The requested media is in His Excellency's cabinet and must be shared with the other judges so that everyone has the same opportunity to analyze the elements related to the process.”

The Dark Horse film inquiry

The court disputes intersect with a federal probe into the financing of Dark Horse, an unreleased biographical film about former President Jair Bolsonaro. On 10 September 2026, the Federal Police executed 49 search and seizure warrants targeting 29 individuals, including federal deputy Mario Frias, in an operation authorized by Justice Flávio Dino. Investigators are reviewing roughly $12 million routed from a Vorcaro-linked entity to a fund connected to Eduardo Bolsonaro, as well as alleged public funding funneled through civil society groups. Lawyers for Senator Flávio Bolsonaro, who is running for president against incumbent Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in the 4 October 2026 election, had filed four petitions in July requesting the transfer of the inquiry from Dino to Mendonça.

Flávio Bolsonaro defended the public disclosure of the case files during a campaign appearance.

“I want transparency in everything.”

Political fallout before the presidential election

The unsealed documents and tribunal proceedings arrive three weeks before the national vote. Eduardo Bolsonaro stated that foreign fund transfers were organized through the United States to prevent intervention from Moraes, who previously presided over Jair Bolsonaro's coup conviction. President Lula noted in an interview that Banco Master originated during the Bolsonaro administration and closed under his own government, while calling for full disclosure of the investigative findings. With Flávio Bolsonaro polling evenly with Lula ahead of the October ballot, the Supreme Court scheduled both plenary sessions to resolve pending procedural challenges before election day.