Former President Jair Bolsonaro of Brazil has been charged in a case involving the alleged attempt to misappropriate million-dollar jewels given to him by Arab countries during his time as head of state. The investigation into this matter has led to charges being filed against twelve individuals, including Bolsonaro himself, for crimes such as appropriation of public property, money laundering, and criminal association.
The police report will be sent to the Supreme Court magistrate, Alexander de Moraes, who will then send it to the Prosecutor’s Office to determine if there is enough evidence to prosecute the accused and if a trial should be opened. The case centers on valuable jewels received by Bolsonaro on official trips that were meant to be returned to state assets upon leaving office.
Among those accused in this case is Bolsonaro’s former aide-de-camp Mauro Cid and lawyer Frederick Wassef, who allegedly traveled to the US to repurchase jewels after the state demanded their return. Additionally, Bolsonaro has been charged in another case involving fraud in obtaining a vaccination certificate against Covid-19, where Mauro Cid’s confession played a key role.
Aside from these legal challenges, Bolsonaro is also under investigation for his involvement in a coup plot to annul the electoral victory of his opponent in 2022 and retain power. Along with these investigations, he faces scrutiny from the electoral justice system for abuses of political and economic power. Despite all these challenges, Bolsonaro remains a controversial and divisive figure in Brazilian politics.
The authorities have not yet disclosed any details about how they obtained evidence against Bolsonaro or any other suspects in this case.
Bolsonaro’s defense team has denied any wrongdoing and claims that he acted within his rights as president when accepting gifts from foreign leaders.
The investigation into this matter began after it was revealed that millions of dollars worth of jewels were missing from state assets following Bolsonaro’s departure from office.
It remains to be seen what consequences this legal challenge will have for Brazilian politics and whether it will ultimately lead to prosecution or acquittal for Bolsonaro.
