According to the PF, the group worked for the businessman and was responsible for monitoring and intimidating his opponents
The minister of the (Supreme Federal Court) André Mendonça stated this Friday (13 March 2026) that there is evidence of the existence of an armed criminal organization linked to the former banker Daniel Vorcaro, investigated and again by the PF (Federal Police) on March 4.
According to the corporation, this group is called A Turma and was responsible for monitoring and intimidating people considered Vorcaro’s opponents. The ex-banker’s defense says they do not know “completely the existence of any WhatsApp group or any other electronic messaging platform/application with the name ‘A Turma’“.
Another contested point is the remuneration of members of the organization. Investigations indicate that the armed group would receive around R$1 million per month. The defense claims that this hypothesis would be “mere illusion, devoid of credibility”.
The lawyers also argue that there are no records of weapons possession by those investigated during the period mentioned in the investigations, which, according to them, would rule out the characterization of militias. The defense also states that all payments or bank transfers attributed to the businessman were made before the start of the 1st phase of Compliance Zero.
In his vote, Mendonça stated that the group “it still presents itself as a dangerous threat in a latent state, as it has members who are still at large”.
The minister also said that 3 people were approached by the PRF (Federal Highway Police) in a car at km 871 of BR-381. The car belonged to Luiz Phillipi Mourão, known as Sicário, but was driven by someone else. Sicário on March 6, after being declared brain dead.
DEFENSE DENIES GROUP “THE CLASS”
The businessman’s lawyers contested the existence of the group called “The Gang”cited in investigations as responsible for carrying out violent actions under the banker’s orders.
According to the defense, Vorcaro unaware of the existence of the group. In the appeal presented to the Supreme Court, the lawyers claim that the businessman “I am completely unaware of the existence of any WhatsApp group or any other electronic messaging platform/application with the name ‘A Turma’”.
The defense also maintains that Vorcaro never participated in any group with that nomenclaturenor would he have integrated conversations with the people mentioned in the decision that determined measures against him.
Regarding the messages exchanged between Vorcaro and others under investigation, the lawyers state that there are no recent records of contact. According to the appeal, there are no telephone records after November 2025 between the businessman and the others mentioned in the investigation. The defense also claims that there was no subsequent conduct attributed to the businessman against alleged victims mentioned in the press.
VORCARO ARRESTED
The founder of Master at the Brasília Federal Penitentiary, a maximum security prison, where he was transferred on March 6. He is isolated in a 9 square meter cell for adaptation. During this screening period, there is space for individual sunbathing. There is no contact with other inmates or visits from family members. Read the (PDF – 127 kB) of the decision that authorized its transfer.
After authorization from Mendonça, Vorcaro will be able to speak to his lawyers in prison without being recorded. The request had been filed by the businessman’s defense.
“Accepting the request made by the defense, I order the management of the Federal Penitentiary of Brasília to allow visits by lawyers regularly appointed in the files, regardless of scheduling, without carrying out any type of monitoring or audio and/or video recording”said Mendonça. Read the of the decision (PDF – 144 kB).
The 2nd Panel of the . Luiz Fux and Nunes Marques accompanied the rapporteur. Read Mendonça’s vote (PDF – 353 kB). Gilmar Mendes is missing.
3rd PHASE OF ZERO COMPLIANCE
Vorcaro on March 4, in the 3rd phase of Compliance Zero.
The arrest order came from Mendonça. In the decision ( – PDF – 384 kB), the minister said that Vorcaro “maintained direct involvement in conducting financial and institutional strategies related to the institution, participating in decisions aimed at raising funds in the financial market and their subsequent allocation in investment structures linked to the economic conglomerate itself”.
According to him, elements of the investigation indicate that the banker “participated in structuring a fundraising model through the issuance of bank securities with remuneration significantly higher than the market average, directing the amounts obtained for investments in higher risk and low liquidity assets, including through investment funds in credit rights in which Banco Master itself appeared as a shareholder”.
According to the PF, the scheme investigated has 4 main areas of activity:
- 1 – financial nucleus, responsible for structuring fraud against the financial system;
- 2 – core of institutional corruption, aimed at co-opting public officials from the Central Bank;
- 3 – core of asset concealment and money laundering, using intermediary companies;
- 4 – intimidation and obstruction of justice nucleus, responsible for the illegal monitoring of opponents, journalists and authorities.
In addition to Vorcaro, the following were arrested:
- 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 Phillipi Machado de Moraes Mourãocalled Sicário – he on March 6 after trying to kill himself while in Federal Police custody in Belo Horizonte. The corporation did not detail what happened.
