Former Finance Minister and pre-candidate for the government of São Paulo, Fernando Haddad (PT), defended the actions of Senator Jaques Wagner in the case of Banco Master, owned by Daniel Vorcaro.
“I am a witness that he acted against Banco Master and helped the government to block the institution’s interests. He acted against Master, including at my request. I can testify wherever he wants,” Haddad told Folha de S.Paulo on Tuesday (23).
Jaques Wagner was the target of Operation Compliance Zero, promoted by the Federal Police and which, on the 18th, carried out search and seizure warrants against the PT leader in the Senate.
InfoMoney Tool
Download now (and for free)!
At one of the addresses linked to the senator, agents seized US$49,000 in cash, equivalent to around R$253,000 at the current exchange rate. The investigations also investigate whether the senator received an apartment valued at more than R$2.4 million from Vorcaro.
According to the PF, Wagner also traveled frequently on the banker’s jets and received payments from Banco Master, over the years, through the company of his stepson’s wife, Bonnie Bonilha.
On Monday (22), Wagner appealed to the minister of the Federal Supreme Court (STF) and rapporteur of the case, André Mendonça, requesting the annulment of the search and seizure operation at his addresses.
The senator’s defense maintains that there are serious errors that compromise the validity of the measure, including the assertion that the PT leader in the Upper House had acted in Congress to approve measures that favored Banco Master.
As an argument, the senator’s lawyers claim that he had positioned himself against the “Master Amendment”, a measure presented by senator Ciro Nogueira (PP-PI), which aimed to expand the coverage of the Credit Guarantee Fund and, consequently, reduce the risk associated with Vorcaro’s fraudulent scheme.
