Now she pays by bank transfer from an account that American International helped her open.

Mr. Bennett paid back the $435 million as well as accrued interest, transferring from an account in his name 350 million euros, which was converted to $424 million.

On Friday, Isto E, a Sao Paulo newsweekly, reported that banking records showed that thousands of dollars had been transferred from an account controlled by the campaign manager to one controlled by Mr. Collor's private secretary.

He said that the New York account had money that had been transferred from an account in Malta, where it had been held for a unit of Parmatour, a travel company owned by the Tanzi family that declared bankruptcy on Friday.