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Losses stemming from the Banco Master scandal have taken a new turn, this time affecting shopping malls and restaurants. The party bearing the losses is BRB, Banco de Brasília, which is now receiving equity stakes in commercial developments as compensation for damages incurred after purchasing fraudulent securities — the transactions that triggered the investigation leading to the arrest of Daniel Vorcaro.
Even unintentionally, Nelson Antônio de Souza, CEO of BRB, has become the owner of a large retail and food service portfolio. As a result, the bank’s current strategy is to divest these assets.
For now, the bank owns bars and restaurants under brands such as Tatu Bola, Eu Tu Eles, Nino Cucina, Boteco Rainha and Camarada Camarão, through the Alife Nino group.
The shopping malls, located in Brasília, Espírito Santo, Goiás and Paraná, were part of the Macam Shoppings real estate investment fund.
The Macam Shoppings FII comprises four assets: Boulevard Brasília, Boulevard Londrina, Boulevard Vila Velha, and Passeio das Águas. However, the fund does not hold full ownership of these properties.
In Boulevard Brasília, the FII holds a 90% stake, while its interest in the Londrina asset stands at 80%. The Boulevard Vila Velha, located in Espírito Santo, has a 50% ownership share, and Passeio das Águas, in the state of Goiás, accounts for just 10%.
In addition to these assets, Shopping Praça das Dunas is also part of the Macam Shoppings FII portfolio. The development, however, is still under construction, with completion scheduled for 2027. There is currently no information on whether ownership of the asset will ultimately be transferred to BRB.
This situation is part of a large-scale financial and political scandal known as Operation Compliance Zero. Federal Police investigations indicate that the fraud involved the sale of nonexistent or distressed credit portfolios from Banco Master to BRB.
When the fraud began to surface and Banco Master faced a liquidity crisis, negotiations were carried out in an attempt to contain BRB’s losses. Instead of cash, the bank received shares in investment funds, effectively making it an indirect owner of the Alife Nino group and the Macam fund.
These developments have had consequences for BRB. In January, S&P Global downgraded the bank’s credit ratings due to persistent reputational risk. In addition, the bank’s former CEO, Paulo Henrique Costa, and its chief financial officer were removed from their positions amid the investigations. In testimony, the former CEO stated that he did not have “clarity” about the fraud at the time the transactions were executed.











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