Rio de Janeiro Court Suspends Investigation Against Flávio Bolsonaro on ‘Splitting’

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Judge Suimei Cavalieiri, of the 3rd Criminal Chamber of the Court of Appeals of Rio de Janeiro (TJ-RJ), has suspended the investigations of the so-called “splitting” case in the office of the then state deputy Flávio Bolsonaro, now a senator.

The decision allows other members of the Criminal Chamber to analyze the case and judge its merits. Until then, the state Prosecutor’s Office (MP) will not be able to complete its investigations and file a complaint against Flávio Bolsonaro.

Judge Cavalieri granted a petition from Flavio’s defense, which questioned the progress of the case in the lower court. The defense’s argument was that the senator should be investigated by the appellate court branch of the Prosecutor’s Office, under the supervision of a judge.

The full investigation to date has been overseen by a lower court judge, including breaches of confidentiality and search and seizure warrants against the senator.

The case has been dealt with in the lower court ever since the Federal Supreme Court (STF) ruled on the question of the proper forum for elected officials. According to the STF, the “privileged” forum only applies to crimes committed during the accused’s term of office. The senator was a state deputy when the alleged crimes occurred.

The suspected crimes that were investigated involved embezzlement, criminal organization and money laundering. The Prosecutor’s Office states that Flávio Bolsonaro is the head of a criminal organization that operated in the office of the Rio de Janeiro State Legislative Assembly (ALERJ).

Former State Police officer Fabrício Queiroz, who worked as Flávio Bolsonaro’s advisor, is accused by the MP as the operator of the salary kickback scheme.

The estimate is that about R$2.3 million were handled in a “splitting” scheme, in which employees of the then deputy returned part of their salaries paid by ALERJ.

The money, according to the investigation, was laundered using real estate companies and a chocolate shop in Rio in which the senator is a part owner.

Flávio Bolsonaro denies all charges, says he is a victim of persecution and criticizes the leaks in the case, which is confidential under judicial seal.

According to prosecutors, the criminal organization existed “with a high degree of permanence and stability, between 2007 and 2018, intended for the practice of embezzlement of public money and money laundering”.

Source: G1