Far-right politician indicted by Brazilian Federal Police for misappropriating jewels gifted to the Presidency

The Brazilian Federal Police have charged former President Jair Bolsonaro in a case where he is being investigated for the alleged attempt to misappropriate million-dollar jewels given to him by Arab countries during his time as head of state. After completing the investigation, charges were filed against twelve individuals, including Bolsonaro, 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 involves valuable jewels received by Bolsonaro on official trips that should have been returned to state assets upon leaving office.

Among the accused is Bolsonaro’s former aide-de-camp Mauro Cid, as well as lawyer Frederick Wassef, who allegedly traveled to the US to repurchase jewels after the state demanded their return. Bolsonaro has also been charged in another case involving fraud in obtaining a vaccination certificate against Covid-19, where the confession of Mauro Cid played a key role.

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. Alongside criminal investigations, he faces scrutiny from the electoral justice system for abuses of political and economic power. Despite these legal challenges, Bolsonaro remains a controversial and divisive figure in Brazilian politics.