Supreme Federal Court (STF) Justice Flávio Dino has authorized Brazil's Federal Police to access evidence gathered by the São Paulo state police in an operation against Go Up Entertainment, the production company behind "Dark Horse", a film about former president Jair Bolsonaro. The decision was issued on Friday (21) under seal and was first reported by the newspaper O Globo and confirmed by Folha de S.Paulo.
The material will feed a Supreme Court inquiry, overseen by Dino, into whether congressional budget allocations earmarked by lawmakers from the Liberal Party (PL) helped finance the feature film. According to G1, the Federal Police told the court that the Instituto Conhecer Brasil (ICB), a nonprofit tied to the producer, sits at the center of that investigation and that the items seized by the state police could deepen and even speed up the work.
The R$ 108 million contract
The São Paulo state police operation, dubbed Operação Wi-Fi, was launched in June at addresses linked to the producer and to a city hall department. Investigators are examining possible fraud and diversion of funds from a R$ 108 million per year contract signed between Mayor Ricardo Nunes' administration and the ICB to provide free wireless internet to low-income communities, and whether part of the money was used to finance the film's crew.
According to G1, the Federal Police gained access to data from computers, cell phones, accounting documents, invoices, payment receipts and financial records, including raw data and reports already produced on the seized devices. Dino found the request and its justification appropriate and in line with the court's understanding on this type of evidence sharing.
The Supreme Court inquiry was opened after Dino asked the federal comptroller's office (CGU) to review budget allocations from lawmakers Mário Frias, Bia Kicis and Marcos Pollon, all from the PL, directed to the ICB and to the National Academy of Culture (ANC), entities seen as part of a single management group coordinated by Karina Ferreira da Gama, owner of the institute and a partner at Go Up. The Federal Police are now mapping Karina's business relationships and examining possible campaign donations linked to those under investigation.
The film has become a central liability for the presidential bid of Senator Flávio Bolsonaro, the former president's son, after the release of audios in which he asks former banker Daniel Vorcaro, owner of Banco Master, for R$ 61 million to finish the project. According to the producer, Vorcaro funded more than 90% of the film's budget. Reached by Folha, Karina Ferreira da Gama did not respond to requests for comment.