Brazil: Bolsonaro allegedly embezzled jewelry

Investigations - Brazil: Bolsonaro allegedly embezzled jewelry

The Brazilian Federal Police will indict former President Jair Bolsonaro (2019-2022) in court for embezzlement. The former head of state is accused of illegally selling jewelry and luxury watches, which he received as official gifts during his tenure in Saudi Arabia, according to the state news agency Agência Brasil, citing the police. The Prosecutor General's Office must now make a decision based on the investigation results, whether to file charges against Bolsonaro and eleven other suspects and follow the recommendation of the Federal Police.

A delegation from the Brazilian Ministry of Mines and Energy brought jewelry and watches worth approximately three million euros back from a visit to Saudi Arabia in October 2021. Some of it was later sold in the USA, and the profits were credited to private accounts of the suspects, the Federal Police reported. Bolsonaro denied the allegations. "The persecution of Bolsonaro is open and shameless," Senator Flávio Bolsonaro (his son) also wrote on the news platform X.

There are several ongoing investigations against Bolsonaro. The police also accuse him of planning a coup with associates to stay in power after his election defeat in October 2022 against the current President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. In addition, the investigators believe that during the Corona pandemic, he had fake vaccination passes made for himself, family members, and employees.

1. Despite the indictment by the Brazilian Federal Police, former President Jair Bolsonaro maintains his innocence regarding the embezzlement allegations.
2. The USA became an unintentional recipient of some of the allegedly embezzled luxury watches sold from the jewelry brought back to Brazil by a government delegation.
3. The Federal Police in Brasília is determined to bring Bolsonaro and eleven other suspects to justice for their role in the embezzlement case.
4. Should the Prosecutor General's Office decide to press charges, it would potentially impact the legacy of the controversial political figure, Jair Bolsonaro.
5. As Bolsonaro stands trial, Saudi Arabia may be questioned about its gift-giving protocols, potentially leading to adjustments in diplomatic practices between the nations.
6. Meanwhile, the Federal Police continues its investigation into other alleged misdeeds, including planning a coup and obtaining fake vaccination passes during the Corona pandemic.

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