SAO PAULO – Brazilian federal police accuse former President Jair Bolsonaro of embezzling 6.8 million Brazilian reals (about $1.2 million) price of knickknack while he was in office, in line with an investigation report unsealed by the Supreme Court on Monday.
Bolsonaro was charged last week with embezzlement, asset laundering and criminal association in reference to the posh jewelry from Saudi Arabia. The investigation increases pressure on the far-right politician, who ruled from 2019 to 2022 before losing his re-election to Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. He has already lost his political rights until 2030.
Bolsonaro has not commented on the indictment, but has previously denied any wrongdoing related to the jewellery.
The police report claims there was “a criminal organization to embezzle valuable gifts received by former President Jair Bolsonaro because of his position.” The jewelry included diamond-encrusted Rolex and Patek Phillipe watches, a necklace, rings and cufflinks, amongst others. The report says a few of the gifts got to government employees acting on Bolsonaro's behalf during trips abroad.
The Associated Press reported on the costs against Bolsonaro on Thursday, citing information from two sources accustomed to the investigation. It was not until the report was published by Brazil's Supreme Court that a comprehensive overview of the allegations was made available.
Brazilian Attorney General Paulo Gonet will analyze the police report and choose whether to press charges and convey the far-right politician to justice.
If the jewellery had been a present from Saudi Arabia to Brazil, it could have been exempt from tax. However, Bolsonaro wouldn’t have been allowed to maintain it for himself. Instead, it could have been incorporated into the presidential collection.
The police report said Bolsonaro's family received “proceeds from the illegal sale” of the jewellery. The investigation found that the funds were deposited by the previous president without using the Brazilian banking system to hide their origin, the report said.
In his first public speech for the reason that allegations were made public, at a conservative conference in southern Brazil on Saturday, the 69-year-old former army captain didn’t comment on the problem. However, he and his lawyers have previously denied any wrongdoing within the case and in other of his actions which can be under investigation.
Argentine President Javier Milei, one among Bolsonaro's allies, accused Brazil of promoting a legal witch hunt against the previous president.
The police report released on Monday charges ten other people, including two of Bolsonaro's lawyers, a retired army general and a former energy minister in his government.
The document records an exchange between Bolsonaro and a former top adviser that means the Brazilian president knew that a few of the jewelry in query was to be auctioned within the United States. Federal police said Bolsonaro's phone conversations also included references to the auction house Fortuna Auction.
A second package of luxury jewelry seized by customs was also addressed to Bolsonaro, whose government had repeatedly tried to release the jewellery, in line with police. The then-president received the package on November 29, 2022, the report said.
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