Brazil's Federal Police launched Operation Make Up on Thursday (10), investigating the suspected diversion of R$ 2 million in public money sent by federal deputy Mario Frias (PL-SP) to organizations tied to the producer of Dark Horse, a biopic of former president Jair Bolsonaro. Officers are executing 49 search and seizure warrants authorized by Supreme Federal Court (STF) Justice Flávio Dino across São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Ceará and the Federal District. The funds came from congressional earmarks, a budget mechanism that lets Brazilian lawmakers direct federal money to projects of their choosing.
The targets include the congressman and two NGOs run by Karina Ferreira da Gama, the film's producer: the Instituto Conhecer Brasil (ICB) and the Academia Nacional de Cultura (ANC). According to G1, the production company behind the film, Go Up, is not covered by the warrants. G1 also reported that Frias's cell phone was seized during the searches. InfoMoney reported the operation is being carried out jointly with the Comptroller General's Office (CGU), the federal audit agency.
In a statement, the Federal Police said it suspects a criminal organization of public officials and private actors.
"The investigations point to the existence of a criminal organization, made up of public and private agents, suspected of directing the funds received to irregularly subcontracted companies, without proof that the contracted services were actually provided."
The force said the operation covers suspected embezzlement, document fraud, money laundering, criminal organization and bidding-related crimes. Investigators said companies tied to the scheme moved amounts in the hundreds of millions of reais, and that attempts to conceal the diversions allegedly continued until July of this year.
How the case reached the Supreme Court
Deputy Tabata Amaral (PSB-SP) asked the court to examine the transfers. On March 21, Dino gave Frias five days to respond. A court officer tried three times to find the congressman at his Brasília office and could not serve the summons, the court logged on April 14. On April 15, the justice opened a preliminary inquiry into earmarks from deputies of the PL party to NGOs tied to the producer.
Frias responded on May 25 and denied directing earmarks to finance the film. He called the claim "absolutely false, devoid of any evidentiary basis and defamatory," and said the earmark in question was not destined for "any film production."
The film's financing and the court crisis
Earlier reporting revealed that Dark Horse was allegedly financed by Daniel Vorcaro, owner of the defunct Banco Master, who is jailed in Brasília. Senator Flávio Bolsonaro (PL), a presidential candidate in this year's election, admitted brokering the negotiations and demanding payments from Vorcaro. According to Intercept Brasil, Vorcaro transferred at least R$ 61 million in 2025 to a US-based fund run by a lawyer linked to former deputy Eduardo Bolsonaro.
The inquiry landed in the middle of a standoff between the court and the Federal Police command. On Wednesday (9), Dino cited the case's investigative steps when he reinstated Police Director-General Andrei Rodrigues and Intelligence Director Leandro Almada, who had been removed a day earlier by Justice André Mendonça. Court President Edson Fachin later suspended both rulings.
The next step is the review of the material seized in the 49 searches. Dino's preliminary inquiry remains open at the STF. TV Globo sought comment from Frias and from Karina's defense and had received no reply by publication time.