An investigation by Estadão reveals that the law firm associated with the wife of Alexandre de Moraes received payments significantly above the norm in the Banco Master case. In some instances, the difference reached up to ten times more than other firms.
The comparison was based on contracts and payments declared by the bank itself. The focus is on the disproportionate fees paid to different firms operating in the same context.
According to the analyzed data, Viviane Barci de Moraes’ firm received approximately R$ 80 million in less than two years.
The amount was already considered high, but the central point of the investigation is comparative.
Other firms providing services to Banco Master reportedly received significantly lower amounts. In some cases, the difference reached substantial multiples, with the firm linked to the Moraes family receiving up to ten times more.
This raises direct questions about market standards.
Experts interviewed in reports indicate that the amounts “significantly deviate” from what is practiced in similar legal contracts.
The disproportion does not automatically imply irregularity but broadens the debate on hiring criteria and potential conflicts of interest.
The context is the Banco Master scandal, which already involves suspicions of fraud, political relations, and connections with high-level authorities.
The firm’s contract provided for up to R$ 129 million over three years, with monthly payments of around R$ 3.5 million.
With the bank’s liquidation, the payments were halted before the final deadline, but still reached high figures.
The firm claims to have provided real services, including dozens of meetings, technical opinions, and work with a large legal team.
Even so, the focus of the debate has shifted.
It is no longer just about whether services were rendered, but whether the amounts paid are compatible with the market and the firm’s structure.
For the institutional system, the impact is sensitive.
When sums of this magnitude involve firms linked to Supreme Court ministers, the issue moves from the private sphere to the public debate on transparency.
Politically, the case pressures bodies like the Attorney General’s Office and the parliamentary inquiry committee investigating the bank.
For Brazil, the episode reinforces a recurring pattern.
Major financial crises tend to reveal deep connections between the market, politics, and the judiciary.
The difference of up to ten times in payments acts as a trigger for this debate.
More than the absolute value, it is the comparison that makes the case one of the most sensitive points of the Master scandal.
Original published at O Cafezinho.