Brazil's Supreme Court upholds imprisonment of Vorcaro relatives

On 16 June 2026 the Second Chamber of Brazil's Supreme Federal Court (STF) voted to keep Henrique Vorcaro, the father of former banker Daniel Vorcaro, and his cousin Felipe Cançado Vorcaro in pre‑trial detention under a closed‑regime. The majority, led by relator Justice André Mendonça and supported by Justices Luiz Fux and Kassio Nunes Marques, rejected Justice Gilmar Mendes’s proposal for house arrest with an electronic ankle bracelet. Justice Dias Toffoli recused himself from the vote.

The decision was described by Justice Mendonça as involving “mafia‑like” organized crime rather than ordinary white‑collar offenses, and it sparked political debate in Brasília. Lawmakers in the Senate noted the move heightened pressure on Daniel Vorcaro and drew comparisons to the strategy used during the 2014 Lava Jato investigations, where family members were detained to compel cooperation. The case concerns alleged fraud, money‑laundering and corruption linked to the collapse of Banco Master.