Vorcaro moves closer to a plea deal after his detention is upheld

A Supreme Court panel reached a majority to keep Daniel Vorcaro, the disgraced founder of Banco Master, behind bars. The trial on his detention, being conducted online, will only be concluded on Friday, but it is very unlikely the justices will change their stance at this point.

Supreme Court Justice André Mendonça, the rapporteur of the investigation into the Banco Master scandal (see more), ordered on March 4 that Vorcaro be taken into preventive custody — a measure used when suspects are deemed flight risks or are found tampering with evidence or witnesses — with no set release date.

For Vorcaro, the upholding of his detention appears to have been a turning point. Shortly after the majority was reached, it was reported that the banker hired a new lawyer — José Luis Oliveira Lima, a veteran of high-stakes plea bargains. In Brasília, Vorcaro’s choice of new counsel came as a clear sign that he will seek to turn state’s evidence in exchange for a reduced sentence.