Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro Faces Criminal Charges in Million-Dollar Jewel Theft Case

The Brazilian Federal Police have filed charges against former President Jair Bolsonaro in a case where he is accused of attempting to misappropriate million-dollar jewels given to him by Arab countries while he was in power. A total of twelve individuals, including Bolsonaro himself, have been charged with crimes such as embezzlement of public funds, money laundering, and criminal association.

The police report will be submitted to the Supreme Court magistrate, Alexander de Moraes, who will then forward it to the Prosecutor’s Office for further investigation. The case involves valuable jewels that were received by Bolsonaro on official trips but should have been returned to state assets upon his departure from office.

Among the accused are Bolsonaro’s former aide-de-camp Mauro Cid and lawyer Frederick Wassef, who allegedly traveled to the US to purchase more 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, with Mauro Cid’s confession playing a key role in the investigation.

In addition to these legal challenges, Bolsonaro is currently under investigation for his involvement in a coup plot to annul the electoral victory of his opponent in 2022 and maintain power. He is also being scrutinized by the electoral justice system for abuses of political and economic power. Despite these challenges, Bolsonaro remains a highly controversial and divisive figure in Brazilian politics.