Ministry of Industry and Trade launches investigation against Jair Bolsonaro on suspicion of embezzlement

The Federal Public Ministry (MPF) of Brasilia, the federal capital of Brazil, launched this Friday, March 17, an investigation against former President Jair Bolsonaro, who no longer has jurisdictional privileges, on suspicion of embezzlement, that is, embezzlement of value or a public good by public officials face. The investigation cites pure gold jewelry and diamonds offered to Brazil by the Saudi Arabian government and which the former president kept as if they were personal gifts, which is prohibited by law.

Earlier this week, the Court of Accounts (TCU) decided to immediately return to the collection of the Brazilian state the jewelry of Jair Bolsonaro, who fled to the US on December 30 for fear of arrest and promised to hand over a valuable gift, but I did not do this until this Saturday. In addition to the bag of men’s gifts that Bolsonaro was left with, another bag of women’s gifts, such as a gold and diamond necklace, ring and bracelet, meant for the former ruler’s wife Michelle Bolsonaro, has been seized at Sao Paulo International. Airport, after the military adviser tried to pass it without declaring it through customs in a backpack with clothes, and it was discovered.

In the case of the gifts for Michelle, also investigated by the MPF but who did not hold any public office, the jewelry was valued at three million euros. In the case of the men’s jewelry, which, it is not yet known how, was screened at the airport and delivered in person to Bolsonaro at the Palacio da Alvorada, in Brasilia, an assessment has not yet been made, as it is not known exactly what he received.

An attempt to smuggle into Brazil jewelry that was offered to Brazil as an official gift and that should have been declared and included in the collection of the President of the Republic, but which Bolsonaro kept as his own, took place in October 2021. but only now, after the change of power, this was revealed and resulted in a new scandal involving the former president in a new episode of violations in favor of himself and family members. The case only became public after it was revealed that last December Jair Bolsonaro put heavy pressure on customs at Sao Paulo airport, even sending soldiers as his couriers in an attempt to salvage women’s jewelry two days before the end of his presidential term. and fled to the United States, where he remains to this day.