Brazilian Police Accuses Former President Bolsonaro of Receiving $5 Million Without Justification

SadaNews - The Brazilian Federal Police has accused former President Jair Bolsonaro of receiving large sums of money without a clear justification between March 2023 and February 2024, according to documents obtained by the Associated Press on Thursday, which may add to the legal troubles facing the former leader.

Investigators say Brazil's financial supervisory authority suspects there is a money laundering case involving Bolsonaro, who is set to face judgement and conviction in early September regarding an alleged coup conspiracy. The former president could face another trial if the prosecutor decides to bring charges against him related to obstruction of justice.

Bolsonaro has not yet commented on the latest accusation, but he has claimed in the past that he is the target of political persecution by the government of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.

The new documents will be added to a lengthy 170-page investigation into obstruction of justice, alleging that Bolsonaro received over 30 million Brazilian reais ($5 million), most of which lacked a clear justification, alongside debts of nearly the same amount during that period. Bolsonaro served as president from January 1, 2019, to December 31, 2022.

The Associated Press obtained the documents, which were sent to the country's Supreme Court.

Much of the information comes from the Brazilian financial authority of the state-owned Banco do Brasil.

It is alleged that nearly 20 million reais ($3.48 million) came from over 1.2 million direct transactions referred to as "PIX," and Bolsonaro spent a similar amount on investments during that time. The documents also showed that the former president spent money on bank transfers, paid deposit receipts, and withdrawals, and currency exchanges.

The Brazilian police in the new documents state that Bolsonaro and his son Eduardo used "several maneuvers to conceal the source and destination of the financial resources, with the aim of financing and supporting activities of an illegal nature for the deputy (Eduardo Bolsonaro) who lives abroad."