A scandal involving Brazil’s Supreme Court has emerged just days before the presidential election runoff on 25 October. Justice Alexandre de Moraes, who oversaw the case that led to the conviction of former president Jair Bolsonaro, is at the centre of the controversy.
A police investigation reportedly found that Moraes’s wife’s law firm had a contract worth approximately £20m with Daniel Vorcaro, a banker accused of orchestrating Brazil’s largest banking fraud. Text messages also reportedly suggested a close relationship between Moraes and Vorcaro, though the judge denies their authenticity.
Further investigations revealed that at least four other justices on the court also had links to Vorcaro, meaning half of the court’s 10 current justices have been drawn into the scandal. All deny wrongdoing.
President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who lost the first round of the election, attributed his poor result partly to having to "carry on his back … the promiscuity" of the supreme court. Political observers suggest the crisis played a decisive role, particularly among undecided voters, potentially aiding Flávio Bolsonaro in becoming the frontrunner.
Moraes denies any wrongdoing, stating he never ruled on any case involving Vorcaro and therefore had no conflict of interest. Vorcaro, who is accused of leading a scheme that left an estimated £9bn hole, has been in custody since November.