Exponential Increase in Assets Prompts Investigations Into Flávio Bolsonaro

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – The “exponential increase in assets” of Senator Flávio Bolsonaro is the grounds for four investigations now underway by the Federal Police, the Office of the Federal Prosecutor and the State Public Prosecutor Office of Rio de Janeiro. These entities are investigating suspicious real estate deals and financial transactions by Fabrício Queiroz, the former driver of President Jair Bolsonaro’s son.

Among the irregularities pointed out are crimes such as money laundering, slush funds, criminal organization, embezzlement, and administrative impropriety.

The “exponential increase in wealth” reported by the Federal Police has shown millionaire profits. Flávio Bolsonaro bought nineteen properties for R$9.4 million between 2010 and 2017. The purchase and sale operations yielded a profit of R$3 million.

Investigators point out several transactions carried out in cash, while others were “express” (quick turnaround) transactions. According to the Federal Police, the investigation evaluates whether there were fraudulent misrepresentation and an “exponential” increase in the senator’s assets.

The inquiry was opened “from factual news including reports of an exponential increase in assets through express real estate negotiations, during the period in which the subject under investigation was engaged in parliamentary activities, which were purportedly incompatible with his respective income, in addition to having declared assets to the Electoral Court with a value considerably higher than that declared in 2014.”

The judge ordered the investigation to return to the Federal Police

With regard to the electoral inquiry, despite the fact that the investigation has been at a standstill in the courts for about six months, an order for its return to the police is already in place. On August 2nd, electoral judge Rudi Baldi Loewenkron ordered a copy of the entire registration process of Flávio Bolsonaro’s candidacy in the 2014 elections, when he was elected state representative.

Once this copy is completed, the documents should be returned to the Federal Police, according to the magistrate’s order. So far, this has not happened.

Investigators raise the assumption that the source of money from the real estate of Senator and former state deputy Flávio Bolsonaro is from a salary “splitting” scheme from employees in the Legislative Assembly of Rio de Janeiro.

It is suspected that Fabrício Queiroz, a former driver, would collect the parliamentary cabinet employees’ salaries and then hand over the amounts to the politician and his family members. A check for R$24,000, for instance, landed in the first lady’s account, Michele Bolsonaro.

The investigation is an issue in the crisis between Bolsonaro and Moro

The investigation into Flávio Bolsonaro is one of the major issues in the crisis between President Jair Bolsonaro and oversight bodies, such as the Federal Treasury, the Prosecutor General’s Office  and the Financial Activities Control Council (COAF), renamed UIF (Financial Intelligence Unit).

The tension extends to the Minister of Justice, Sérgio Moro, and the Director-General of the Federal Police, Maurício Valeixo. On Tuesday, August 28th, Moro completed a series of three posts on social media in less than 24 hours, mentioning President Jair Bolsonaro. In the latter, he spoke of “alignment” with the “policy” of the current chief executive.

Also on Tuesday, August 28th, Moro said that the fight against corruption in the Jair Bolsonaro’s government is suffering some “setbacks”.