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Brazil’s former president Jair Bolsonaro is facing possible money laundering and other charges related to undeclared diamond jewellery gifted by Saudi Arabia, local media reported on Thursday.
Federal police accused Bolsonaro, who led South America’s largest country from 2019-2022, of money laundering, embezzlement and criminal association, Brazilian news outlet G1 reported.
The case stems from an undeclared set of diamond jewellery worth $3.2 million that was seized by customs inspectors in October 2021.
The jewels were inside a satchel from Bolsonaro’s Mining and Energy ministry entourage upon returning from a trip to the Middle East.
Bolsonaro has previously denied any criminal activity in the case. Eleven other people were facing charges alongside the far-right leader, including his attorney Fabio Wajngarten.
Wajngarten reacted on X, saying he had been accused of crimes ‘for the bizarre reason of having complied with the law.’
Bolsonaro’s son, the Brazilian senator Flavio Bolsonaro, also slammed the accusations on X as ‘open and brazen persecution’ against his father.
Despite the moves by the federal police, Brazil’s Attorney General Office has yet to issue any formal charges against Bolsonaro before the country’s Federal Supreme Court.
The new accusations represent the latest legal woes for the far-right former leader, who is also under investigation for his role in the January 2023 Brazil Congress attack and faces possible charges for forging Covid-19 vaccination documents to travel.
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