Rodrigo Bocardi suspended from SBT amid extortion allegations

Journalist Rodrigo Bocardi has been temporarily removed from his role at SBT following allegations of extortion and unethical journalistic practices. The accusations were brought forward by Jonas Donizete, the former Secretary of Technology and Communication for Embu das Artes, who claims Bocardi pressured municipal governments in São Paulo to secure favorable coverage.

Donizete alleges that Bocardi used his digital platform, BocaTV, to demand payments from city administrations to avoid negative news coverage or to ensure positive reporting. The former official claims to possess recordings that support these allegations.

In response, Bocardi described the accusations as ‘bandidagem’ (thuggery). He clarified that while BocaTV does engage in a commercial model with municipalities known as ‘Prefeitura Parceira’ for institutional advertising, this does not prevent the reporting of citizen complaints. SBT has placed Bocardi on leave while its compliance department conducts an internal investigation into the matter.