Brazilian judiciary corruption probes expand

In July 2026, after earlier probes into Supreme Court Justice André Mendonça’s role in the “Dark Horse” case and the Federal Police’s investigation of STJ minister Paulo Dias de Moura Ribeiro, Supreme Court minister Cristiano Zanin authorized a deeper probe into Ribeiro on 23 July. The inquiry, part of Operation Sisamnes (launched 2024), alleges Ribeiro participated in a scheme to sell judicial decisions, with financial transfers to a former STJ staffer and influence over at least ten rulings, including a 2021 decision favoring Grupo OK, linked to businessman Luiz Estêvão. Evidence derives from cloud data of murdered lawyer Roberto Zampieri, implicating lobbyist Andreson de Oliveira Gonçalves and lawyer Aline Gonçalves de Sousa, wife of a federal judge. Authorities have sought to break bank‑secrecy for Ribeiro, his relatives and associates and to trace possible illicit payments. Ribeiro’s office denies wrongdoing; the Federal Police say no conclusive evidence of his participation has been found yet. The Prosecutor‑General’s Office continues to back the probe, marking the first direct targeting of a senior STJ magistrate and intensifying scrutiny of Brazil’s higher courts.