Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has been formally charged with embezzling jewelry he received during his tenure as head of state, according to an article on news website G1. The jewelry, which included a diamond necklace, a ring, a watch and earrings, was worth $3.2 million (2.96 million euros), two federal police officials said on condition of anonymity.
The jewelry was once given to Bolsonaro and his wife by the Saudi Arabian government, among others. Some of the jewelry was already found in the luggage of a government official returning from Riyadh in October 2021 and seized by customs officials at Sao Paolo International Airport.
Prime Minister speaks of ‘smuggling’
Bolsonaro’s successor, President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, called for an investigation, and one of his ministers described Bolsonaro’s actions as “smuggling.” Bolsonaro’s lawyer has so far not returned a request for comment.
Last year, police had already searched the apartments of several military officers who allegedly helped Bolsonaro sell jewelry to the US. At the time, it was said that the items had been sold, but the sale was not reported. It is the second time that police have accused Bolsonaro of a crime. In March, he was accused of falsifying his COVID-19 vaccination records.
Source: Krone
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