Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro makes his first statement since Sunday’s presidential runoff election at the Alvorada National Palace in Brasilia, November 1, 2022. – Brazilian President Bolsonaro said he would “abide by” the constitution after his election defeat. (Photo: EVARISTO SA/AFP)
July 8, 2024
Brazil’s far-right former president Jair Bolsonaro profited from a scheme to illegally sell $1.2 million worth of jewels and other luxury items that were given as gifts to the government, a police investigation revealed on Monday.
Brazil’s federal police last week recommended that President Bolsonaro be indicted on money laundering and other offences over undeclared jewels given between 2019 and 2022.
Bolsonaro claims he is the subject of judicial persecution under the government of his successor, the leftist Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, but denies any wrongdoing.
A police report released on Monday said investigators found that government officials engaged in “diverting” several expensive gifts from foreign governments to Bolsonaro, totaling $1.22 million.
According to a report filed with the Supreme Court, the officials attempted to sell the items overseas “with the intent of illegally enriching the then-president.”
He added that the cash raised from these sales was paid to Bolsonaro “outside the formal banking system.”
STF Judge Alexandre de Moraes gave prosecutors 15 days to decide whether to formally indict Bolsonaro.
The case stems from an undeclared diamond jewelry set that was allegedly seized by customs inspectors in October 2021.
The jewels were reportedly in a bag belonging to President Bolsonaro’s Ministry of Mining and Energy when he returned from a visit to the Middle East.
The police report, which is around 500 pages long, includes detailed descriptions of the jewellery in question, including Rolex watches and diamond jewellery from luxury brand Chopard.
Bolsonaro’s team reportedly recovered some of the debris and returned it after news of the incident first broke.
Bolsonaro’s lawyer, Paulo Cunha, said on Monday that heads of state have “no direct or indirect influence” over the handling of official gifts.
The former leader is also on trial on suspicion of falsifying COVID-19 vaccination records and aiding in a coup plot in January 2023, when thousands of his supporters occupied Brazil’s Congress, Supreme Court and presidential palace, demanding the military step down from power.
