This Tuesday (17/02), the Federal Police carried out four search and seizure warrants in the states of São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro and Bahia, as part of an investigation investigating possible data leaks from the Federal Revenue Service involving ministers of the STF (Supreme Federal Court) and their relatives.
The action took place as determined by the STF, based on a representation made by the PGR (Attorney General’s Office). So far, the names of the targets of the operation have not been released.
In addition to the searches, precautionary measures were determined, including monitoring by electronic ankle bracelet, removal from public service, cancellation of passports and ban on leaving the country.
The Federal Revenue carried out a check on its systems to check whether there had been a breach of data confidentiality of around 100 people, including ministers of the (Supreme Federal Court) and their families.
The list includes parents, children, siblings and spouses of the court’s ten ministers. The request for analysis of the information was made by the STF minister.
To complete the process, IRS auditors will carry out around 8,000 procedures to check for breaches of confidentiality, which takes time, according to people familiar with the matter interviewed by Folha on condition of anonymity.
When contacted, the IRS stated that it does not comment on legal demands to preserve the confidentiality of information. “This process is under judicial secrecy, only the STF is responsible for any authorization for disclosure. The IRS receives several judicial demands for information, but does not comment on them due to tax secrecy and, often, also judicial secrecy, as is the case.”
Moraes’ office was also contacted, through the advice of the Supreme Court, but did not respond.
The work of the Federal Tax Authority involves data from 80 systems. The reports that are ready are already being sent directly to Moraes.
Tracking possible breaches of confidentiality fits into the context of the institutional crisis between the Powers and public bodies caused by the breach and liquidation of .
Revelations from the investigation into the financial scandal at Daniel Vorcaro’s bank generated distrust and suspicions of leaks of information protected by banking and tax secrecy.
Members of the Supreme Court suspect that the PF investigated court ministers without the protection of the law. On the other hand, Federal Police investigators consider that decisions taken by Minister Dias Toffoli in reporting the case hindered the investigations.
Moraes’ request was made, according to people following the investigations, about three weeks ago as part of the Fake News inquiry, opened in 2019, and which investigated attacks by Bolsonarists on members of the Supreme Court.
In the request, the minister did not give names, but included in the list all STF judges and people with the degrees of kinship to be researched by the Federal Revenue Service and the (Financial Activities Control Council).
As shown by Sheetare evaluating a court investigation into the conduct of the PF and , according to three people with knowledge of the discussions.
As the PF and Revenue are under the command of trusted government figures, the magistrates extended the responsibility to Planalto.
Moraes requested the information in January, after the release of information showing links between his family and his colleague Dias Toffoli with Master.
The bank is suspected of being involved in a series of frauds investigated by the PF in Brasília, São Paulo and other states.
The crisis increased last week after the general director of the PF, Andrei Rodrigues, delivered a report of around 200 pages to the president of the STF, Edson Fachin, with exchanges of messages between Daniel, owner of Master, and his brother-in-law, Fabiano Zettel, in which they both discuss payments to the company Maridt,
The minister confirmed, in a note, that he “is part of the corporate structure” of the company Maridt, which was one of the owners of the Tayayá resort, in Paraná, but denied that he had received money from Vorcaro.
Toffoli was the rapporteur of the case at the STF, but left last week after a closed meeting with all members of the court. The ministers’ conversations at the meeting are also uploaded to the Poder 360 website, worsening the scope of the scandal.
The minister had been under pressure to move away from the Master case, especially after .
