Between 2007 and August 2010, Moreira Franco (PMDB) was vice-president of Government Funds and the Federal Caixa Econômica Lottery. The post guaranteed him influence over the FGTS worker’s fund, which by the end of his administration became the principal guarantor of the Porto Maravilha operation.
When it was created in January 2010 by ex-mayor Eduardo Paes (PMDB), Cdurp presented a special synergy with Caixa, such that whoever commanded Cdurp and Caixa were strong men from PMDB.
The command of Cdurp was delegated at the time to Jorge Arraes, ex-real estate director of the Caixa employee’s pension fund.
The financial operation of Porto Maravilha was financed by Caixa, which invested R$3.5 billion in exchange for CEPAC development licenses in the area, using FGTS funds.
The financing, however, began to be investigated by Operation Car Wash due to an accusation that ex-Speaker of the House Eduardo Cunha, also of PMDB, demanded kickbacks worth millions of dollars.
Informers from the construction companies OAS and Carioca Engenharia allege that Cunha charged at least R$52 million to distribute the first batch of infrastructure funds for Porto Maravilha from FGTS. This would mean a 1.5% cash bribe given during the first phase of the Public-Private Partnership (PPP).
Among the alleged beneficiaries of the bribe, along with Cunha, would be Fábia Cleto, who took over the vice-presidency responsible for the FGTS after Moreira Franco left the position.
Secretary-general of the Michel Temer administration, with ministry status, Moreira Franco was named executive secretary of the Program of Partnership and Investments of Michel Temer’s government in 2016, heading new private-public partnership projects.