Private messages exchanged by Lava Jato prosecutors in 2015 show that then-federal judge Sergio Moro interfered in the whistleblower negotiations two construction company executives.
The messages, obtained by The Intercept Brazil and examined by Folha and the site, reveal that Moro advised prosecutors that he would only approve the allegations if the sentence proposed for the executives included at least one year in prison.
The interference caused discomfort among members of the task force in Curitiba.
The 2013 Criminal Laws Act, which defined rules for whistleblower agreements, says judges must stay away from negotiations with informers and are only required to verify their legality after signing.
"As a judge, there was no participation in the negotiation of any cooperation agreement," Moro, the current Justice Minister, said in a statement.
The task force stated that it did not recognize the authenticity of the material. The defenses of the executives did not want to appear. "
Translated by Kiratiana Freelon