Read excerpts from conversations attributed to Vorcaro, reproduced by Mendonça in the decision based on messages obtained in the PF investigation:
- threat against journalist: “This guy, I want to have him beaten up. Break all his teeth. In a robbery.”
- journalist monitoring: “We had to get people following this guy. To take everything from him.”
- order to intimidate target: “Raise everything from both of them.”
- intimidation of people: “The best thing is to shake the chef first. The other one will scare you.”
- threatens the employee: “Employee Monique threatening me. Is it easy? You have to grind this slut.”
- order to collect information: “Address everything.”
Items 35 to 38 of the decision mention messages that deal with the monthly payment to the group responsible for monitoring and intimidation actions.
In a conversation reproduced in the records, Luiz Phillipi Machado de Moraes Mourão tells Vorcaro that “Fabiano didn’t send it this month and the group is asking”in reference to the values transferred to the group. It then explains that the payment would be divided between members of the structure.
In another dialogue, an employee asks Vorcaro if the transfer would be “1 mm as normal”to which he responds “sim”, before transferring R$1 million to a company indicated by Mourão.
The messages also show the interlocutor reporting that he was monitoring a former employee of the businessman and asking if there was “some phone, something like that to monitor”, which, according to the investigation, would indicate the group’s role in collecting information about people considered adversaries.
ZERO COMPLIANCE OPERATION
In the 3rd phase of the operation, 4 preventive arrest warrants and 15 search and seizure warrants are being served in São Paulo and Minas Gerais. Vorcaro’s brother-in-law, Fabiano Zettel, is also the subject of an arrest warrant. The PF reported that the measures include removal from public positions and blocking of assets worth up to R$22 billion to stop the movement of assets linked to the group under investigation.
Operation Compliance Zero began in November 2025 and investigates crimes such as threats, corruption, money laundering and hacking of computer devices. In the previous phases, the PF received more than R$2.6 million in cash, a plane valued at around R$200 million, 30 weapons and vehicles totaling more than R$25 million. The investigations began in 2024, following a request from the MPF (Federal Public Ministry) to investigate signs of the manufacture and sale of false credit securities in the financial system.
According to the PF, the scheme investigated has 4 main areas of activity:
- Financial core, responsible for structuring fraud against the financial system;
- Institutional corruption center, focused on co-opting public officials from the Central Bank;
- Asset hiding and money laundering center, using intermediary companies;
- Intimidation and obstruction of justice center, responsible for the illegal monitoring of opponents, journalists and authorities.
The following were preventively arrested:
- Daniel Vorcaro, appointed as leader of the criminal organization;
- Fabiano Zettelinvestigated for making payments and guiding an intimidation center;
- Marilson Roseno da Silvaretired federal police officer investigated for participating in a group monitoring Vorcaro’s opponents;
- Luiz Phillipe Machado de Moraes Mourãoidentified as one of the members of the group “The Class”.
Vorcaro had been arrested in the 1st phase of the operation, but was released by (Federal Regional Court of the 1st Region) in November 2025, when he began to comply with precautionary measures and wear an electronic ankle bracelet. The banker was scheduled to testify for this Wednesday (March 4) at the Senate’s Organized Crime CPI, but Mendonça withdrew the mandatory attendance on Tuesday (March 3). The president of the commission, senator (PT-ES), canceled the session after those convened were absent.
In a statement, Contarato stated that the CPI will continue investigating the case and said that decisions that make the presence of those under investigation optional “they end up allowing the person being investigated to choose whether or not they want to provide clarifications to society”.
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