O Senator Jaques Wagner (PT-BA), leader of the Lula government in the Senate, used his mandate to act in favor of the interests of Banco Master on at least three fronts, according to the Federal Police, which .
The investigation highlights Wagner’s role in proposals to try to expand payroll loansin initiatives related to increasing the coverage of the Credit Guarantee Fund (FGC) and monitoring the attempt to sale of Banco Master to BRB, measures that, according to the PF, were strategic for frauds led by Daniel Vorcaro.
The defense of Jaques Wagner did not comment on the ninth phase of Operation Compliance Zerowhich is equivalent to R$252 thousand. The space is open for manifestation.
A PF investigation indicates that senator maintained direct dialogue with Vorcaro’s former partnerAugusto Ferreira Lima, on legislative proposals and parliamentary initiatives that could benefit the Master.
Target of the first phase of Compliance Zero in November, Augusto Lima was once again the target of Federal Police measures this Thursday (18). Agents carried out search and seizure warrants at addresses linked to the businessman in Bahia, São Paulo and the Federal District.
Lima’s defense stated that the searches were “unnecessary”.
‘Relevant interlocutor’, says PF
Wagner’s first line of action involved expanding payroll loans. According to the PF, the senator took action to increase the margin for loans deducted from the payroll for private sector workers, retirees and INSS pensioners.
As Discussions also included the authorization for beneficiaries of the Continuous Payment Benefit (BPC) and federal income transfer programs to have access to payroll loans.
According to researchers, this articulation resulted in the presentation of an amendment later incorporated legislation that expanded access to this type of credit.
The PF highlights that the agenda had a direct connection with Augusto Lima’s business, responsible for implementing, during the governments of Jaques Wagner in Bahia, a payroll credit system for public servants that was later incorporated into Banco Master. Named Credcesta, the model became one of the main financial assets of Daniel Vorcaro’s institution.
A The second front involves discussions on changes to the rules of the Credit Guarantee Fund (FGC)an entity that protects depositors and investors in the event of the failure of financial institutions.
According to the PF, the expansion of the fund’s coverage, which ended up not materializing despite efforts, was in the interest of Banco Master, which used the FGC guarantee as one of the main instruments to raise funds in the market. The investigations had already shown that Senator Ciro Nogueira received it promptly and presented an amendment in this regard. The former minister of the Civil House denies irregularities.
On the third front, investigators point to Wagner’s role in initiatives related to monitoring the attempted sale of Banco Master to Banco de Brasília (BRB). For the PF, the senator closely followed an operation considered strategic for the future of the institution controlled by Daniel Vorcaro, later rejected by the Central Bank.
Bribe
Dialogues extracted from Augusto Lima’s cell phone indicate that he lent his private plane to the leader of the Lula government in the Senate on several occasions and also bought tickets for the box at a show in Los Angeles, in the United States.
The Federal Police states that these advantages are in addition to other bribery payments made to the senator, such as the purchase of a luxury apartment worth R$2.5 million and transfers of R$3.5 million to his family’s company.
