Minister who reported Dallagnol’s impeachment was cited in Lava Jato

Minister Benedito Gonçalves, who reported on the process that led to the removal of the mandate of Deltan Dallagnol (Podemos-PR) as a federal deputy, has already been the target of Operation Lava Jato for suspected links with one of the contractors arrested by the task force coordinated by the parliamentarian when he served as State Attorney. Léo Pinheiro, then president of OAS, cited the magistrate in an award-winning statement approved in 2019.

At the time, Pinheiro said that he met frequently with the minister between 2013 and 2014 to discuss legal disputes involving the contractor at the Superior Court of Justice (STJ). The two also exchanged messages on their cell phones, as found in the investigation in 2014 that led the contractor to prison.

According to Pinheiro’s plea to Justice, Gonçalves would have ruled in favor of OAS in at least two actions, in exchange for possible political influence to indicate him to the Federal Supreme Court (STF), which had a vacant seat.

“At the time, the minister sought to gather support in the business environment for his candidacy for the STF and, during our meetings, we exchanged some impressions about the paths he should follow in his candidacy”, said Léo Pinheiro in the delation recorded by Folha de São Paulo.

The contractor also reported that Gonçalves would have asked him for “commitment and dedication” to get the necessary support for his nomination to the STF. Pinheiro mentioned having hired a notary in Rio de Janeiro where the magistrate’s son worked, in 2014, for services of authentication and notarization of OAS documents, with monthly payments of R$ 5,000 to R$ 7,000.

Another excerpt from the denunciation shows that Gonçalves would have asked Pinheiro to hire his wife to provide legal services to the construction company – which did not materialize.

The revelations led to proceedings against Benedito Gonçalves at the National Council of Justice (CNJ), but the actions were filed by the then Attorney General of the Republic, Raquel Dodge. Another lawsuit that investigated an alleged link between minister Dias Toffoli’s brother and Pinheiro was also filed by Edson Fachin at Dodge’s request.

Benedito Gonçalves did not comment on the quotes by Léo Pinheiro.