Moroni Bing Torgan

Moroni Bing Torgan is a Brazilian politician who has served as a member of the National Chamber of Deputies (the lower house of the National Congress of Brazil). He served from 1991 to 1995, 1999 to 2003, and from 2003 to 2007. Torgan is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and is the first Latter-day Saint to be elected to a high position in the Brazilian government. In 1995, he was elected vice governor of Ceara. He served as vice-mayor of Fortaleza until 2020.

He previously served as the Secretary of Public Safety in the northern Brazilian state of Ceara. As a federal police officer in Ceara, he was honored with the title of “Outstanding Policeman.” He assisted in the arrest of more than 3,000 lawbreakers and, when assigned to vice crimes, he arrested more than 500 drug traffickers.

Having achieved an almost folk-hero status as a crime fighter, he often has been the subject of newspaper, magazine and television features. One reporter, noting Pres. Torgan's Church membership and faithfulness, wrote: "In the hours when he is not fighting crime, he is likely to be home reading the scriptures.”[1]

Torgan was elected "Best State Security Agent" by the state media, National Council on Public Safety, and Minister of Justice. He received a certificate of honor from the Brazilian army and was also decorated by the Air Force with the Santos Dumont Medal, the highest civil award.

He was born on October 6, 1956, and is from Porto Alegre. He is descended from Italian, Austrian, Romanian, and Scandinavian ancestors. His mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother were members of the first branch organized in Fortaleza, Brazil, in 1938. Torgan was called at the age of 29 to serve as the president of the Fortaleza Brazil Stake. He presided over the Portugal Lisbon Mission. He has served as bishop, counselor to the president of the Brazilia Brazil Mission, and Area Seventy.[2]

Torgan grew up primarily in Rio Grande do Sul. As a youth he played on a Brazilian national championship volleyball team. In 1982 he graduated from the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul.

He and his wife, Rosa, have two children.