Brazil Supreme Court Unseals Flávio Bolsonaro Film-Funding Probe

Brazil’s Supreme Federal Court has released investigative records concerning presidential candidate Flávio Bolsonaro and alleged payments linked to Dark Horse, an unreleased film about his father, former President Jair Bolsonaro.

The records became public between September 10 and September 13, 2026, as the court sought greater transparency in the wider Banco Master investigation. The disclosure puts an active court-linked inquiry involving a leading presidential candidate before voters less than three weeks before Brazil’s first-round presidential election on October 4.

What the inquiry concerns

Justice André Mendonça opened the inquiry in July after a request from Brazil’s Federal Police and approval from federal prosecutors, according to court documents and reporting by Agência Brasil, the Associated Press and Reuters.

Investigators are examining alleged corruption, money laundering, tax evasion and related offenses connected to financing for Dark Horse. Investigative documents and independent reporting identify alleged payments totaling 61 million reais, roughly $12 million, from former Banco Master executive Daniel Vorcaro in connection with the film.

The amount is under investigation. The public record does not establish that the payments were illicit proceeds or that Flávio Bolsonaro committed a crime.

The broader Banco Master case

The film inquiry sits within a broader investigation examining suspected misuse of public funds, including congressional budget amendments and possible links to São Paulo municipal authorities. Court material also addresses alleged irregular subcontracting connected to the film’s production.

In a decision described by the Associated Press, Justice Flávio Dino said suspicions had strengthened that a scheme may have involved the allocation and diversion of public resources. Federal police also carried out a September 10 operation connected to the alleged funding arrangements, including searches involving the film’s production company and former lawmaker Mário Frias.

Those investigative steps do not amount to a conviction. The July opening of the inquiry and the September release of records are separate developments: the first began the formal investigation, while the second made parts of the investigative record available to the public.

Flávio Bolsonaro’s response

Flávio Bolsonaro has denied wrongdoing and said he was seeking private investment for the movie. He also welcomed the release of the documents and said there was nothing wrong with the film, according to AP. His statements are a defense against the allegations, not a resolution of the inquiry.

Eduardo Bolsonaro and former lawmaker Mário Frias appear in related investigative reporting, but the central development is the inquiry into Flávio Bolsonaro and the court’s decision to disclose records about the alleged financing.

Why the timing matters

The release gives voters and political opponents new material to examine before the October 4 presidential vote. It could affect campaign messaging, perceptions of Flávio Bolsonaro’s candidacy and confidence in Brazil’s accountability institutions. The documents do not determine how voters will respond or whether prosecutors will eventually seek charges.

The next important steps may include additional document releases, investigative actions by police and prosecutors, and a decision on whether the evidence supports formal criminal charges. For now, the public record describes allegations under examination rather than established criminal liability.

Sources

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