Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has been officially charged with embezzling jewelry that he received during his time as head of state, as reported by the news website G1. The jewelry, which includes items like a diamond necklace, a ring, a watch, and earrings, is estimated to be worth $3.2 million (€2.96 million) according to two federal police officials who shared the information under anonymity.
These pieces of jewelry were gifted to Bolsonaro and his wife by the Saudi Arabian government among other entities. Some of the jewelry was discovered in the luggage of a government employee returning from Riyadh in October 2021 and was seized by customs authorities at Sao Paolo International Airport. Bolsonaro’s successor, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, has called for an investigation into the matter, with one of his cabinet ministers labeling Bolsonaro’s actions as “smuggling.”
Despite these charges, Bolsonaro’s lawyer has refrained from providing any comments on the situation. The incident involving the jewelry is not the first time Bolsonaro has been accused of criminal activity. In a separate case last year, police raided the homes of several military officers for allegedly aiding Bolsonaro in selling jewelry to the United States. Authorities mentioned that while the items had been sold, the transactions had not been properly reported. Additionally, in March, Bolsonaro faced charges of falsifying his COVID-19 vaccination records.