Bolsonaro allegedly sold off state gifts
State and government heads often receive gifts during visits. However, these gifts do not belong to the office holders personally but to the country they represent. According to the police, Brazil's former President Bolsonaro received gold-plated gifts from state guests - not to fill the state coffers.
The former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro is alleged to have sold privately official gifts received from state guests. The police report, which was recently made public and contains details of the recent allegations, mentions watches and other luxury gifts worth approximately 1.1 million Euro. Bolsonaro's employees are said to have sold these expensive gifts abroad - "with the intention of illicit enrichment of the then president".
The Brazilian Federal Police recommended last week that Bolsonaro be charged with money laundering and other crimes in connection with undeclared jewelry gifts between 2019 and 2022. The documents filed in court on Monday state that the money obtained from the sale of the gifts eventually "bypassed the normal banking system" and went to Bolsonaro. In addition, the nearly 500 pages of documents filed in court list the suspicious jewelry items in detail, such as Rolex watches and Chopard diamond jewelry.
Bolsonaro's lawyer dismissed the allegations. State heads have "no direct or indirect influence" on what happens to official gifts, explained Paulo Cunha in an online service. Bolsonaro also denied the allegations in the past. "The persecution of Bolsonaro is open and shameless," wrote his son, Senator Flávio Bolsonaro, on X.
There are several investigations against Bolsonaro. The police also accuse him of planning a coup with associates to remain in power after his election defeat in October 2022 against the current President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. In addition, he is suspected of falsifying vaccination passes during the Corona pandemic for himself, family members, and employees.
Despite Bolsonaro's denials, the police investigation reveals that he received luxury gifts during his presidency, including Rolex watches and Chopard jewelry, allegedly sold privately by his employees for illicit enrichment. This incident, coupled with the money laundering charges and undeclared jewelry, raises concerns about corruption in Brazilian Politics, particularly under former President Jair Bolsonaro's administration.
