Federal Police Claim Criminal Group Linked to Ex-President Bolsonaro Sought to Sell Luxury Gifts
Federal police investigators in Brazil have unveiled allegations against a criminal group purportedly involving former president Jair Bolsonaro. The group is accused of attempting to illegally siphon off and sell luxury gifts from foreign leaders, valued at a minimum of $1.2 million.
The latest revelations emerged on Monday, just three days after police officially accused Bolsonaro of embezzlement, money laundering, and criminal association, recommending that he face criminal charges. The potential consequences for Bolsonaro are severe, with a conviction for these alleged crimes carrying a prison sentence totaling 25 years for the far-right politician.
The scandal, dubbed “O Caso das Joias,” or Jewellery-gate by the Brazilian media, has been a topic of intense interest. On Monday, Supreme Court judge Alexandre de Moraes authorized the release of the 476-page federal police investigation report. This comprehensive report details the alleged criminal network and has been a significant development in the case. The investigation surfaced in the months following Bolsonaro’s defeat in the 2022 election to leftist Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
The report suggests investigators found substantial evidence of “a criminal association dedicated to the embezzlement of high-value gifts received by ex-president Jair Bolsonaro’s office and/or Brazilian government delegations acting on his behalf during international trips, which were intended for later sale abroad.”