🐴 Bolsonaro's ‘Dark Horse’ turns Trojan

Every Trojan horse arrives disguised as a gift. Senator Flávio Bolsonaro had hoped that “Dark Horse,” a biopic about his father — convicted of plotting a coup after losing the 2022 election — would lift his presidential bid as the far right's standard-bearer. It may sink it instead.

WhatsApp messages leaked by The Intercept Brasil show Flávio soliciting money from Daniel Vorcaro, the owner of the now-infamous Banco Master, a now-liquidated lender at the center of the biggest banking fraud case in Brazilian history. 

The banker has been in jail since March on charges of running a financial scheme tied to money-laundering networks used by organized crime. Investigators say Vorcaro's operation deployed honey traps against politicians, funneled cash to intermediaries, pressured regulators and relied on mafia-style intimidation.

After the link surfaced Wednesday, Flávio said he had procured the money in order to finance Dark Horse. The USD 10.6 million he says the Bolsonaros received would make the film the most expensive production in Brazilian cinema history.

But the production company says it never got a dime from Vorcaro. The Federal Police, meanwhile, are investigating whether the money instead…

Don’t miss out! Upgrade to unlock full access. The process takes only seconds with Apple Pay or Stripe. Become a member.

We’re here for readers who want to truly understand Brazil and Latin America — a region too often ignored or misrepresented by the international media.

Since 2017, our reporting has been powered by paid subscribers. They’re the reason we can keep a full-time team of journalists across Brazil and Argentina, delivering sharp, independent coverage every day.

If you value our work, subscribing is the best way to keep it going — and growing.