Brazil’s Bolsonaro charged over alleged Saudi jewelry scheme
Brazilian federal police have formally charged former President Jair Bolsonaro with the appropriation and sale of valuables he received as gifts from the Saudi government while he was head of state, media reported.
The police have presented charges against Bolsonaro for conspiracy to commit a crime, money laundering, and embezzlement. He faces up to 12 years in prison for the latter crime, according to the newspaper "Folha de São Paulo."
Problems of the former president of Brazil
The former president denies any wrongdoing, according to SBT television.
The case involves jewelry valued at CAD 4.4 million, including a diamond necklace, ring, watches, and earrings, given to Bolsonaro and former first lady Michelle Bolsonaro by the Saudi government.
Some of this jewelry was confiscated in October 2021 at São Paulo airport by border guards who found it in the backpack of a government adviser to Bolsonaro, reported Reuters.
According to SBT, the police have charged eleven other people, including Bolsonaro's former lawyer Frederick Wassef, close associate Mauro Cid, and former minister of mining and energy Bento Albuquerque.
Bolsonaro's oldest son, Flavio, stated that his father is a victim of "shameless persecution."
This is the second charge Bolsonaro has faced since leaving the presidency. In May, police formally charged him with falsifying his COVID-19 vaccination certificate, a media recall.
Reuters explained that the prosecution can now decide whether to press charges against Bolsonaro based on the police's allegations. The former president can be formally charged if a judge agrees to the prosecution's request.
