Banco Digimais, controlled by Bishop Edir Macedo, founder of the Universal Church of the Kingdom of God, has accumulated a series of failed attempts to sell it in recent years. The most recent was led by BTG Pactual.
On April 8, 2026, André Esteves' bank released a statement to the market informing that it had "signed binding documents for the acquisition of controlling shares in Banco Digimais." Digimais' shareholders themselves confirmed the negotiations in a separate statement the following day.
The agreement, however, depended on a series of conditions, including the declaration of its proposal as the winner in a competitive process and obtaining regulatory approvals from the Central Bank and CADE (Brazil's antitrust authority). The Credit Guarantee Fund (FGC) would also have to approve a loan.
But, according to NeoFeed , the loan proposal did not move forward at the FGC. "They (FGC) didn't even do the calculations," says a source.
Nine days later, on April 17, the Federal Police filed the complaint that forms the basis of Operation Mirage, launched this Tuesday, June 23, which executed search warrants against directors of the bank and the brokerage firm ID, responsible for managing the institution's funds. The investigation, supported by reports from the Central Bank, is looking into the manipulation of accounting statements and prohibited credit operations.
However, the history of failed attempts to sell Digimais goes back years. On March 1, 2024, Digimais itself presented the Central Bank with a plan for capital replenishment and restructuring of operations, prepared in conjunction with a specialized consulting firm.
The document outlined a capital increase of R$ 250 million, a prudential provision of R$ 200 million related to investments in credit rights funds, as well as a review of governance, strategic planning, and risk management structure.
It was in this context that the first public contender emerged. In January 2025, Digimais announced the transfer of its control to Maurício Quadrado , former partner and former head of investment banking at Banco Master, through his holding company, later renamed BlueBank.
The deal received approval from CADE (Brazil's antitrust agency) and was widely reported as a done deal. In the CADE proceedings, Quadrado described the acquisition as "a good opportunity to expand its business in the retail segment" and broaden its customer base.
Quadrado's group, however, never submitted the necessary documentation to the Central Bank, and the operation was undone about two months later.
In a statement sent to employees, which Valor Econômico had access to, Digimais' management said that, "by mutual agreement with the Quadrado group, it was decided not to continue the process of transferring corporate control."
The Federal Police report released today goes even further. According to the document, the Central Bank actively vetoed the operation "due to the significant risks associated with the proponent's history and connections."
Besides Quadrado, other names were also considered. Nubank evaluated the acquisition in mid-2025, according to Bloomberg News , attracted by the possibility of obtaining a banking license. In December, the fintech itself confirmed in a statement to investors that it intended to obtain the license, without mentioning Digimais.
Tércio Borlenghi Jr., founder of Ambipar, also submitted a proposal to the Central Bank, according to Metrópoles — but the interest did not progress. Months later, Ambipar itself filed for bankruptcy protection.
