A group of left-wing federal congresswomen, including HeloÃsa Helena, from Rede, in Rio de Janeiro, Fernanda Melchionna and Sâmia Bomfim, both from PSOL, in São Paulo and Rio Grande do Sul, respectively, filed a petition with the Attorney General’s Office requesting the removal of Minister Dias Toffoli, of the Supreme Federal Court, from overseeing the investigation into irregularities at Banco Master
This initiative, the first of its kind by progressive parliamentarians, comes amid growing questions about potential conflicts of interest involving the minister and figures linked to the bank, which was extrajudicially liquidated by the Central Bank at the end of 2025, after accusations of billion-dollar fraud.
The congresswomen argue that Toffoli has personal ties to those under investigation, which would compromise his impartiality in the process, and advocate for the creation of a Joint Parliamentary Commission of Inquiry to deepen the investigations and make the case more transparent to society.
Master Bank, controlled by banker Daniel Vorcaro, has become the center of a scandal that is shaking not only the financial system but also institutions such as the Supreme Federal Court (STF).
The investigation began when the Central Bank identified a fraud scheme involving irregular operations, which led to Vorcaro’s preventive arrest and the transfer of the case to the Federal Police and the Public Prosecutor’s Office.
However, in November 2025, Vorcaro’s defense appealed to the STF alleging the involvement of a congressman with privileged jurisdiction, which caused the inquiry to be randomly assigned to Toffoli’s jurisdiction.
Since then, the minister has made controversial decisions, such as imposing a high degree of secrecy on the proceedings, restricting access by parliamentarians and federal police to seized evidence, and appointing specific specialists to analyze electronic devices-actions interpreted by critics as attempts to control the flow of information.
Furthermore, reports revealed that Toffoli traveled on a private jet accompanied by a lawyer linked to the bank to attend a football match in Peru, raising suspicions of undue proximity.
The allegations of conflict of interest go further, involving members of the minister’s family.
Toffoli’s wife, Roberta Rangel, previously maintained a business partnership with Walfrido Wardi, Vorcaro’s lawyer-a connection that, although prior to the events under investigation, gains relevance in the current context.
Another connection emerges with Toffoli’s sister-in-law, who admitted to not having the financial capacity for a real estate deal linked to those investigated in the scheme, reinforcing indications of asset incompatibility and possible hidden beneficiaries.
These revelations, published in outlets such as Agência Pública and Gazeta do Povo, intensified criticism of Toffoli’s conduct, who already has a history of controversial decisions in the Supreme Federal Court (STF), such as the annulment of convictions and the suspension of investigations since the Mensalão scandal.
In his defense, the minister released a statement claiming that he took over the case by lottery and that he is considering returning the process to the higher court after the investigations are concluded, but he omitted clarifications regarding restrictions on the production of evidence and the appointment of experts, which increased discomfort among his peers in the Judiciary and the legal community.
Given this scenario, the congresswomen emphasize that reporting the case to the Attorney General’s Office (PGR) is a parliamentary duty, but insufficient to fully clarify the issues.
They insist on the creation of a Parliamentary Commission of Inquiry (CPMI) on Banco Master, arguing that this commission would allow for a didactic and public investigation, preventing the promiscuous relationships between the judicial, financial, and political powers from recurring in the country.
This demand echoes broader concerns about the legal disorder in Brazil, where disputes over protagonism between institutions such as the Public Prosecutor’s Office, the Federal Police, and the Judiciary prolong investigations and undermine public trust.
The case, which has already sparked internal debates within the Supreme Federal Court regarding possible temporary absences of Toffoli for health reasons, highlights the urgent need for greater transparency to preserve the integrity of institutions.
Published in 02/03/2026 04h23
Text adapted by AI (Grok) and translated via Google API in the English version. Images from public image libraries or credits in the caption.
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