Brazil's Procuradoria-Geral da República (PGR) rejected plea-bargain proposals from former BRB president Paulo Henrique Costa and former Banco Master executive Daniel Vorcaro on June 25 [1].

These denials signal a strict evidentiary threshold for the ongoing investigation into the Master case. By refusing these agreements, the federal Prosecutor-General’s Office indicates that the testimonies provided by the executives did not offer sufficient new information to justify reduced sentences.

Authorities said the content of the testimonies failed to meet the required evidentiary standards for a formal plea-bargain agreement [1], [2]. This decision leaves the defendants without the legal protections typically afforded to those who cooperate with the state in high-level financial crimes investigations.

Paulo Henrique Costa has been in preventive detention since April 16, 2026 [3]. His attempt to secure a deal through a delação premiada was intended to mitigate his legal standing while incarcerated.

There are conflicting reports regarding the specific timeline of the rejection for Daniel Vorcaro. Some reports indicate the PGR issued the refusal [1], while other sources said the Federal Police had previously rejected the proposal and the PGR's final decision was still pending [4].

Jussara Soares of CNN Brasil said the recent negatives for Costa and Vorcaro indicate a high level of demand from authorities regarding the content presented by the witnesses [5].

The PGR, led by spokesperson Paulo Gonet, continues to evaluate the merits of testimonies in the case. The refusal of these specific deals suggests that the prosecution is seeking more substantial proof of misconduct rather than general admissions of guilt.

“The PGR rejected the plea-bargain proposals submitted by Costa and Vorcaro.”

The rejection of these plea deals suggests that Brazilian prosecutors are prioritizing high-quality, verifiable evidence over the mere quantity of cooperating witnesses. This approach prevents defendants from using plea bargains as a tool for simple sentence reduction without providing actionable intelligence that leads to further convictions of other high-ranking officials.