In a stunning turn of events, former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has been officially charged with embezzlement after receiving valuable jewelry worth $3.2 million (€2.96 million) during his term in office. The charges were announced by two federal police officials who requested anonymity, according to an article on G1 news website.
The jewelry in question was reportedly given to Bolsonaro and his wife as a gift from the Saudi Arabian government and other sources. Some of these items were discovered in the luggage of a government employee returning from Riyadh in October 2021 and were confiscated by customs officials at Sao Paolo International Airport. Bolsonaro’s successor, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, called for an investigation into the matter, with one of his cabinet ministers describing Bolsonaro’s actions as “smuggling.”
Bolsonaro’s lawyer has not yet responded to requests for comments on the matter. Last year, police raided the homes of several military officers who allegedly assisted Bolsonaro in selling jewelry to the United States. At the time, authorities stated that the pieces had been sold without proper reporting. This marks the second time Bolsonaro is facing criminal accusations, with the first incident being in March when he was charged with falsifying his COVID-19 vaccination records.