Tarcísio de Freitas and Jair Bolsonaro Deny Bribe Allegations in Rejected Plea Bargain

Former banker Daniel Vorcaro claimed in a plea bargain proposal that R$ 5 million donated to the 2022 campaigns of Jair Bolsonaro and Tarcísio de Freitas were bribes orchestrated by PSD president Gilberto Kassab. The proposal was rejected by the Federal Police and the Prosecutor General's Office because they found no new facts in the reports. According to Vorcaro, the payments were intended to ensure the continued operation of Credcesta, a payroll loan credit card used by companies linked to Master, as Tarcísio took office as governor of Sao Paulo in January 2023. Vorcaro alleged that the agreement with Kassab involved paying 5 percent of the net results of Credcesta operations and providing campaign contributions. He further claimed that R$ 10 million was paid in cash as off the books funds to the PSD. Tarcísio de Freitas denied any contact with Vorcaro and described the accusations as an inference that borders on the ridiculous. Gilberto Kassab called the version of events absolutely fantastical and vehemently refuted the claims. The defense for Jair Bolsonaro did not respond to requests for comment. Senator Flavio Bolsonaro suggested during a live broadcast that if the money existed, Kassab must have kept it for himself.