Minister Benedito Gonçalves, of the Superior Court of Justice, declared his impediment to judge the cases involving Banco Master. The magistrate participated, with other authorities of the Judiciary, in London, financed by Daniel Vorcaro, founder of the institution.
The impediment certificate was registered on March 31, 2026. The information was published by Estadão and confirmed by Poder360.
Gonçalves did not indicate the motivations for the decision, which exempts him from judging any action by Daniel Vorcaro’s bank in the Superior Court. THE Poder360 He asked the minister’s office for a statement, but has so far received no response. The report will be updated as soon as there is a demonstration.
Like other Judiciary authorities, such as ministers Alexandre de Moraes and Dias Toffoli, Benedito Gonçalves participated in the 1st Legal Forum – Brasil de Ideias, held from April 24 to 26, 2024, in London, under the sponsorship of Banco Master.
As anticipated by this digital newspaperthe Macallan tasting financed by Vorcaro cost US$640,831.88 (around R$3.2 million at the April 2024 exchange rate). Furthermore, the minister stayed at The Peninsula London Hotel. Daily rates for April 24th to 26th, 2024 cost from R$6,800.
Sponsorship of the event was shared between Banco Master, British American Tobacco and FS Security. Read the programming (PDF – 2 MB).
MASTER BANK AT STJ
Even under the extrajudicial recovery regime, Vorcaro’s institution still has cases being processed at the STJ. Benedito Gonçalves makes up the 1st Panel, the 1st Section, responsible for matters of public law, and the Special Court, the top of the Superior Court of Justice that processes original actions.
It is the 2nd time that a minister of a higher court has given up analyzing cases involving the Master. Until then, Dias Toffoli, from the Federal Supreme Court, was the only minister who had declared suspicion in the case, when he waived his role as rapporteur for the investigation investigating bank fraud on February 12.
Just like Benedito Gonçalves, other authorities from the Three Powers were at the tasting offered by Vorcaro in London, such as:
- Alexandre de Moraes – do STF;
- Andrei Rodrigues– general director of the PF;
- Ciro Soares – Daniel Vorcaro’s lawyer;
- Daniel Vorcaro – founder of Master, now in prison;
- Toffoli Days – do STF;
- Hugo Motta – of the Chamber;
- Paulo Gonet – Attorney General of the Republic;
- Ricardo Lewandowski – then Minister of Justice.
At the time, Vorcaro rejoiced to his then-girlfriend, Martha Graeff: “All ministers from Brazil, from the STF, STJ, etc. And me speaking.” Not all Forum speakers were at the tasting.
WHO WENT TO LONDON
According to the the speakers invited to the 1st Legal Forum – Brasil de Ideias held prominent positions in the Three Powers.
Here is the list of names and positions they held at the time:
- Alexandre Cordeiro (president of Cade);
- Alexandre de Moraes (minister of the STF and president of the TSE);
- André Ramos Tavares (minister of TSE);
- Andrei Rodrigues (director general of the Federal Police);
- Antonio Saldanha Palheiro (STJ minister);
- Benedito Gonçalves (STJ minister);
- Ciro Nogueira (senator from Piauí and president of the PP);
- Daiane Nogueira de Lira (CNJ advisor);
- Davi Alcolumbre (senator for União Brasil do Amapá);
- Toffoli Days (STF minister);
- Gilmar Mendes (STF minister);
- Hugo Motta (federal deputy for the Republicans of Paraíba);
- Jorge Messias (Minister of the General Advocacy of the Union);
- José Levi Mello do Amaral Jr (Cade advisor);
- Luis Felipe Salomão (STJ minister);
- Mauro Campbell Marques (STJ minister);
- Michel Temer (former President of the Republic);
- Paulo Gonet Branco (Attorney General of the Republic);
- Raul Araújo (minister of the STJ and TSE);
- Ricardo Lewandowski (Minister of Justice and Public Security);
- Victor Fernandes (Cade advisor).
