RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — A Brazilian Supreme Court justice on Sunday unsealed an investigation into the production of a film about former President Jair Bolsonaro, pointing in his decision to suspicions the movie’s financing had ties to a criminal network.
The suspicions laid out in Justice Flávio Dino’s decision may complicate matters further for Sen. Flávio Bolsonaro, only weeks before October’s national elections in which he will challenge President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
Sen. Bolsonaro, the ex-leader's eldest son, is under investigation for corruption, money laundering and tax evasion for receiving millions of dollars from a disgraced banker to finance the biopic about his father, titled “Dark Horse.”
Dino, a Lula appointee who oversees one of the investigations into the film, said the hypothesis that there existed a sophisticated scheme for the allocation and diversion of public funds involving federal congressional budget amendments and the Sao Paulo city government had strengthened.
On Thursday, Brazil’s federal police targeted federal lawmaker and Bolsonaro ally Mário Frias in an operation.
Police seized documents from the film’s production company and from Frias, who sent about 2 million reais ($400,000) to a nonprofit linked to the film. They suspect a criminal organization channeled funds to companies that were irregularly subcontracted, without evidence that the contracted services were provided.
The judge said Sunday that there were strong indications that Frias, who held a cabinet position during Bolsonaro’s term, played a central role within the alleged criminal network.
The network may also have links to the criminal organization the First Command of the Capital, or PCC, Dino said. U.S. President Donald Trump declared the group a foreign terrorist organization earlier this year.
Frias denies wrongdoing. “I never allocated any congressional budget funds to finance or benefice the production of the film in any way,” Frias said Sunday in a post. He had previously described Thursday’s operation as a “smoke screen.”
Brazil’s Supreme Court has been embroiled in turmoil these past few weeks, with suspicions of graft, political bias and police interference looming over several of its members.
Dino recently clashed with Justice André Mendonca, who was appointed by Bolsonaro. On Tuesday, Mendonca removed federal police Director-General Andrei Rodrigues and the force’s intelligence director, Leandro Almada, for allegedly leading illegal investigations against Mendonca.
Then on Wednesday, Dino overruled his colleague and restored the two senior police officials to their posts. Chief Justice Edson Fachin later suspended their opposing decisions.
The chaos gripping the court stems from the collapse of Banco Master, a mid-sized bank worth up to $16 billion in assets, which was shut down last November after a sprawling investigation into a fraud scheme involving billions of reais.
Banco Master’s former CEO Daniel Vorcaro was arrested earlier this year. It has since emerged that he had links with many high-ranking politicians. They include Sen. Bolsonaro but also several Supreme Court justices, including Alexandre de Moraes who oversaw the case in which Jair Bolsonaro was sentenced to 27 years in prison for attempting a coup.
“We are experiencing the most serious crisis in the history of the Supreme Court and certainly one of the most serious in our turbulent republican history,” said former ministers, economists, executives and the presidents of trade union federations on Sunday in a letter to Fachin published by local media.
“Investigating the facts and holding accountable those who may have violated the law and the dignity of their positions are essential so that we can regain confidence in the institutions and preserve our democracy,” they added.
Follow AP’s coverage of Latin America and the Caribbean at https://apnews.com/hub/latin-america
Presidential candidate Flavio Bolsonaro rides on a man's shoulders during his campaign rally at the site where his father, former President Jair Bolsonaro, was injured by a stabbing attack in 2018, in Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais state, Brazil, Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Bruna Prado)
The Statue of Justice stands outside the Supreme Court building ahead of a plenary session in Brasilia, Brazil, Wednesday, Sept. 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Trevor Lawrence and the Jacksonville Jaguars waited seven agonizing months to play another meaningful game at EverBank Stadium.
This one won’t help them forget the previous one, a three-point loss to Buffalo in the first round of the playoffs. But it was the best possible way to begin one of the most anticipated seasons in franchise history.
Lawrence threw for 245 yards and four touchdowns, opening the season much like he closed last year, and the Jaguars routed rebuilding Cleveland 34-10 on Sunday to spoil the debut of new Browns coach Todd Monken.
“It was a great first step for where we're trying to get to,” Jaguars defensive end Josh Hines-Allen said.
Jacksonville scored on six of its first seven possessions, with Lawrence connecting with Parker Washington, rookie Josh Cameron, Brenton Strange and Jakobi Meyers for touchdowns. Three of four targets were wide open.
Lawrence completed 18 of 23 passes and finished with a career-high rating of 150.6. He was one of the best quarterbacks in the league down the stretch in 2025 while leading the Jaguars to the AFC South title.
His play under coach Liam Coen was a main reason Jacksonville entered this fall as a trendy pick to return to the postseason and maybe reach its first Super Bowl. The opener was a solid start.
“It was awesome,” Lawrence said. “Guys were ready to play.”
Washington, a pending free agent who’s in contract negotiations with Jacksonville, made a diving catch on Lawrence's first TD pass and flashed a “pay me” sign to the 42,000 in attendance inside a venue being fully renovated.
Lawrence made it look easy all afternoon against a defense that traded five-time All-Pro defensive end Myles Garrett in the offseason and was entering its first season under new defensive coordinator Mike Rutenberg.
Cleveland had equally troubling issues on the other side of the ball.
Deshaun Watson, making his first start in nearly two years, threw an interception on the opening drive.
“We did exactly what we wanted to start the game,” Monken said. “We’re going to try to put them on their heels and then we turn it over. And then we couldn’t get a first down to get our defense off the field. That is a recipe to get run out of the arena.”
Watson nearly threw another pick on the team’s second possession and later recovered his own fumble to avoid a turnover.
It was a stark contrast to his previous outings against the Jags. Watson had been undefeated in seven starts against Jacksonville, winning at home, on the road, in London with a swollen eye, in tight games, blowouts and even once while recovering from a broken rib and a bruised lung.
But he was overwhelmed Sunday, getting sacked five times and hit way more often.
Rookie receiver KC Concepcion Jr. also fumbled, and the Browns were penalized 11 times for 75 yards. They also went just 1 for 8 on third down and failed to score a touchdown on two trips inside the 20-yard line.
Cleveland finished with 272 yards and two highlights: Raheim Sanders returned a kickoff 74 yards to set up a 26-yard field goal in the third quarter, and Watson connected with Denzel Boston for a 46-yard TD with 1:52 remaining.
“We were hoping for a ‘W.’ We put in so much work, especially myself, to come in and be successful,” Watson said. “But it's the NFL; it doesn't go that way all the time. You play and you learn. ... The NFL, it's a hard league. You got to be week to week and try to be better each and every time.”
Browns: RB Dylan Sampson (knee) was ruled out in the first half. LG Zion Johnson (left knee) left in the first half but later returned.
Jaguars: DE B.J. Green (elbow) was ruled out at halftime. WR Brian Thomas Jr. (shoulder) went to the locker room in the second quarter but returned for the final series of the first half.
Jaguars right tackle Cole Van Lanen started the opener eight months after knee surgery. Van Lanen tore a ligament in his right knee in the regular-season finale, missed most of training camp and didn’t play a down in the preseason. But he managed to make it back in time for the Browns.
He played the first half before giving way to backup Walker Little. It was a fairly quick return for a 312-pound lineman.
Browns play at Tampa Bay next Sunday.
Jaguars play at Denver next Sunday.
See AP’s full NFL coverage here
Cleveland Browns safety Grant Delpit (9) breaks up a pass intended for Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Parker Washington (11) in the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026, in Jacksonville. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)
Jacksonville Jaguars linebacker Ventrell Miller (51) tackles Cleveland Browns running back Quinshon Judkins (10) in the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026, in Jacksonville. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)
Cleveland Browns head coach Todd Monken looks on in the first half of an NFL football game against the Jacksonville Jaguars, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026, in Jacksonville. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)
Jacksonville Jaguars cornerback Montaric Brown (1) celebrates his touchdown catch in the first half of an NFL football game against the Cleveland Browns, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026, in Jacksonville. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)
Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence (16) passes in the first half of an NFL football game against the Cleveland Browns, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026, in Jacksonville. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)
