The Federal Police (PF) reported on Monday night (6) that it opened an investigation to investigate the alleged attempt to illegally enter high-value jewelry into Brazilian territory. The fact occurred in 2021, with a set of jewelry that the Arab government allegedly presented to the then first lady, Michelle Bolsonaro. The parts came in the luggage of a government advisor and were held at the Federal Revenue office at São Paulo International Airport, in Guarulhos.
“The Federal Police informs that it launched this Monday, 06/03, a police inquiry to investigate the irregular entry of high-value jewels, coming from Saudi Arabia, which were withheld by the Federal Revenue Service. The investigation will be conducted by the Superintendence’s Specialized Police to Combat Financial Crimes in São Paulo,” the PF said in a statement. “The inquiry is under secrecy of justice and has an initial period of thirty days for completion, with the possibility of extension if necessary”, he concluded.
The participation of the PF in the case was requested by the Minister of Justice and Public Security, Flávio Dino, hours earlier, this Monday. In the letter to the director general of the PF, delegate Andrei Augusto Passos Rodrigues, the minister stated that, “in the way they are presented”, the facts disclosed by the press “may constitute crimes against the Public administration”.
According to information from the newspaper O Estado de S. Paulo, the jewels were found in the backpack of the advisor to the then Minister of Mines and Energy, Bento Albuquerque, and are valued at around 3 million euros (approximately R$ 16.5 million). Albuquerque and his advisor were returning from an official trip to the Middle East. Also according to the newspaper, the then minister would have asked the Revenue officials to release the jewels, but the inspectors did not comply with the request, claiming that entering the country with official gifts from foreign government officials to the Brazilian government follows a specific legal procedure.
By law, items worth more than US$ 1,000 are subject to taxation when entering national territory. In this case, in addition to paying 50% in taxes for the value of the goods, a 25% fine would be charged for attempting to enter the country illegally, that is, without a declaration to the customs authorities.
Withheld for non-payment of due taxes, the jewels remain in the possession of the Revenue. The entire approach to the airport was properly filmed by security cameras on site.
The Federal Public Ministry (MPF) received a complaint from the Federal Revenue Service and asked for more information about the case. In a note, the agency stated that the procedure will remain confidential to avoid damage to the investigation.
Other side
After the disclosure of the allegations, former first lady Michelle Bolsonaro made a post on her Instagram account to comment on the matter. She even made fun of the case. “I have all this and I didn’t know? My God!” she wrote.
Former President Jair Bolsonaro, on the other hand, denied any illegality. On CNN, Bolsonaro said that the jewels would go to the collection of the Presidency of the Republic.
In a note, the advisory of former Minister Bento Albuquerque reported that the jewels were “institutional gifts intended for the Brazilian Representation made up of a delegation of the Ministry of Mines and Energy – therefore, for the Brazilian State. And that, as a result, the Ministry of Mines and Energy would adopt the appropriate measures for the correct and legal forwarding of the collection received”.
The statement differs from previous statements that the newspaper Folha de S.Paulo attributed to Albuquerque. According to the newspaper, previously, the former minister confirmed that the jewels were a gift from the Saudi government to Michelle Bolsonaro.
