Brazilian Presidential Candidate Flavio Bolsonaro Faces Corruption Probe Ahead of Election

Brazilian presidential candidate Flavio Bolsonaro is facing a high-stakes corruption investigation just weeks before the upcoming national election. Senator Flavio Bolsonaro, a prominent right-wing candidate in Brazil’s presidential race, is currently under official scrutiny for his alleged ties to a disgraced banker entangled in a massive corruption scandal.

Newly unsealed documents from Brazil’s top court reveal that Supreme Court Justice Andre Mendonca initiated a probe into the senator in July following a formal request from federal police. Investigators are examining potential charges of corruption, money laundering, and tax evasion linked to Daniel Vorcaro, the former head of the collapsed lender Banco Master. Vorcaro was arrested in March amid allegations of orchestrating one of the largest financial frauds in Brazilian history, impacting approximately 800,000 bank clients with losses estimated at around $2.3bn.

According to federal police data extracted from Vorcaro's mobile phone, approximately $12m was transferred in 2025 to a US-based fund connected to Eduardo Bolsonaro, the brother of Flavio Bolsonaro. The funds were reportedly designated for the production of the 2026 film Dark Horse, which portrays former President Jair Bolsonaro in a favorable light. Investigators are working to trace the origin of the money, the intermediary companies, and the ultimate beneficiaries.

Eduardo Bolsonaro, a former Brazilian legislator, reportedly advised Vorcaro on managing the US-based funds, as indicated by a screenshot included in the court files. Denying the allegations, Eduardo told Reuters that the funds were not bribe money and explained that the transfers were meant to protect the assets from interference by Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes.

The burgeoning scandal threatens to significantly impact the upcoming October 4 general election, where Flavio Bolsonaro is challenging incumbent Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. Both candidates have publicly called for full transparency as the investigation unfolds across Brazil’s political landscape.