'Jewel Thief' Bolsonaro Among 12 Indicted for Alleged Embezzlement in Brazil

The former right-wing president and others including his personal aide allegedly sold state property including jewelry and other gifts worth more than $1 million in the United States.

Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro's legal woes increased dramatically Thursday as he and 11 others were indicted for embezzlement and other crimes in connection with the alleged misappropriation of diamond jewelry and other state property received as gifts from the Saudi and Bahraini monarchies during the right-wing leader's presidential tenure.

Carta Capital reported that Brazil's Federal Police indicted Bolsonaro with embezzlement, money laundering, and criminal association. If convicted on all counts, he faces up to 25 years in prison. Bolsonaro maintains his innocence.

Eleven other people were also indicted in the case, including former Mines and Energy Minister Bento Albuquerque and former Bolsonaro personal aide Lt. Col. Mauro Cid. The office of Brazilian Attorney General Jorge Messias must now decide whether to proceed with a federal case against the indicted individuals.

According to authorities, Bolsonaro failed to properly register high-value gifts from the Saudi and Bahraini governments near the end of his presidential term. Those items were later sold in the United States by the president's associates.

While visiting Saudi Arabia in October 2019, the Saudi monarchy gifted Bolsonaro a white gold kit containing a diamond-encrusted Rolex watch. This and another luxury Swiss watch—a Patek Philippe—were later allegedly sold in a mall in Pennsylvania.

This diamond-encrusted Rolex watch (left) is part of the white gold kit (right) that was allegedly sold by Bolsonaro associates in the United States. (Photo: Brazilian Federal Police)

On an October 2021 trip to Saudi Arabia, Albuquerque received a gold rosé kit with a watch, cuff links, pen, ring, and an Islamic rosary made by Chopard and failed to properly report the gift upon returning to Brazil. Investigators say the kit was then taken aboard an official flight on which Bolsonaro was a passenger and subsequently sold at a New York auction.

Proceeds from the sale of the undeclared goods—which investigators say totaled more than $1 million—were pocketed by the indicted individuals.

Army Gen. Mauro Lourena Cid—the father of Lt. Col. Mauro Cid, Bolsonaro's personal aide—allegedly kept some jewelry and sculptures received by Bolsonaro at the end of the Arab-Brazilian Chamber of Commerce Business Seminar in Manama, Bahrain in November 2021.

This photo shows some of the diamond jewelry cited in the Brazilian Federal Police indictment of former President Jair Bolsonaro and 11 others.(Photo: Brazilian Federal Police)

Police recommended criminally charging the younger Cid, who signed a plea deal. Cid's lawyer claimed his client was following orders from Bolsonaro—an allegation the ex-president denies.

O Globo reported Bolsonaro allegedly stored 175 boxes containing numerous gifts at a property owned by former Formula One racer Nelson Piquet. While some of the gifts were determined to be the president's rightful property, other items given to Bolsonaro while he served in his official presidential capacity are legally owned by the state.

This is the second set of federal criminal charges for Bolsonaro, who in March was federally charged with allegedly falsifying his Covid-19 vaccination data and criminal association in a case that could result in a prison sentence of 12-16-years if he is fully convicted.

Bolsonaro—who denies any wrongdoing—is also banned from seeking any political office for eight years due to his alleged abuse of power related to baseless claims of fraud in the 2022 presidential election.

A 2023 Brazilian congressional inquiry also found that Bolsonaro was the "intellectual and moral author of a coup movement" that culminated in the January 8, 2023 attacks on government buildings, and he and scores of his supporters should be criminally indicted for their "willful coup attempt."

Bolsonaro's autocratic actions have been compared to those of former U.S. President Donald Trump, long ago earning him the nickname "Trump of the Tropics." Bolsonaro sought refuge in the United States following the January 2023 attacks and the inauguration of leftist President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who defeated him in the runoff round of the 2022 presidential election.

"Bolsonaro the Jewel Thief" trended on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, following Thursday's indictments.

"Today is a great day for people who believe in justice," said one Socialism and Liberty city councilwoman in Belo Horizonte.

COMMON DREAMS

POLITICO Massachusetts Playbook: Democrats' tax dance

 

View in browser   BY LISA KASHINSKY IT TAKES TWO (BRANCHES) TO TANGO — Once upon a time (read: last year) House Speaker Ron Mariano wouldn’t hear of slashing the state’s short-term capital gains tax rate. Now he’s embracing the concept, for the sake of the state’s competitiveness. It probably helps that the idea originated from a Democratic governor this year rather than a Republican. Oh, the politics of one-party rule. The House’s tax-relief proposal largely mirrors the package Gov. Maura Healey put forward. But it also reflects Mariano’s ongoing concerns about the state’s fiscal future by slow-walking certain changes and hedging on others. The reduction in the short-term capital gains tax rate, for instance, would take place over two years under the House plan, falling from 12 percent to 8 percent in the first year, and then down to 5 percent in the second. Mariano would also phase in over three years the $600 child and dependent tax credit that was one of Healey’s signature campaign promises. And the House is only seeking to raise the estate-tax threshold from $1 million to $2 million — the number lawmakers had largely settled on before discussions were scuttled last session — rather than the $3 million the governor is pushing. “We still don’t know where inflation is going to land. We are a bit concerned about revenues. And we’re concerned about just the general economy of the U.S.,” Mariano told reporters yesterday at the State House. The phasing-in of some elements is “an attempt to balance this and implement growth in a safe, controllable package.” Still, Mariano echoed Healey’s concerns about making Massachusetts more attractive for businesses and doing more to keep residents here. House Democrats even added a new incentive by proposing a change to how state corporate taxes are calculated. “The competitiveness issue is real, as we face challenges from states like North Carolina in some of the bio stuff,” Mariano said. “Part of the signal that we send with the capital gains changes is that we don’t want you to leave, that we want you to stay here. And I think that’s an important message.” Business groups praised the House plan, as they did the governor's. But progressives and left-leaning groups offered mixed reviews — supporting increases in aid for renters and seniors but arguing that the state needs to be investing more money in areas like public transportation to be competitive, rather than rewarding the wealthy. Moderate House Democrats' proposal falling slightly to the left of Healey's sets up some interesting dynamics for the Senate to play off of in its expected tax-relief package. But first, we'll get another sense of the state of play between the Legislature and the governor when the House releases its fiscal year 2024 budget today. GOOD WEDNESDAY MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. Are you running the Boston Marathon? (Here's looking at you, state Sen. Lydia Edwards). Email me at lkashinsky@politico.com for a chance to be featured in Playbook! TODAY — Healey and Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll meet with the Massachusetts Caucus of Women Legislators at 10 a.m. at the State House. Driscoll attends Massachusetts Agriculture Day at 11:15 a.m. and chairs a Governor’s Council meeting on sexual assault, domestic violence and human trafficking at noon; Healey attends. Boston Mayor Michelle Wu presents her FY '24 city budget at 9:30 a.m. Healey , Wu and Rep. Ayanna Pressley join Sen. Elizabeth Warren for the first town hall of her reelection campaign at 7 p.m. at Hibernian Hall in Roxbury.   WHAT ELSE YOU SHOULD BE READING — MEET THE MAYORS: POLITICO has assembled 50 mayors — one from every state — to shine a light on the challenges their communities face and offer up the lessons they’ve learned on the job. Throughout the year, members of the inaugural Mayors Club will share their perspective on key issues that weigh on them and their peers, in both surveys and interviews. And Holyoke Mayor Joshua Garcia is repping Massachusetts. Dive in.   STEP INSIDE THE WEST WING : What's really happening in West Wing offices? Find out who's up, who's down, and who really has the president’s ear in our West Wing Playbook newsletter, the insider's guide to the Biden White House and Cabinet. For buzzy nuggets and details that you won't find anywhere else, subscribe today .     DATELINE BEACON HILL — UNPACKING THE TAX-RELIEF PACKAGE: “House’s billion-dollar tax plan echoes Healey’s ‘competitiveness’ goals through tax cuts, credits, and policy overhauls,” by Samantha J. Gross and Jon Chesto, Boston Globe: “The House plan would cost $654 million in the first year and nearly $1.1 billion once it takes full effect in three years, compared with Healey’s $1 billion proposal. Both proposals would, among other things, boost tax breaks for renters, families, and seniors. They would also overhaul estate and capital gains taxes. The House bill also would revise a 1986 tax cap law that caught lawmakers by surprise last year when it triggered $3 billion in refunds to taxpayers.” — RELATED: “Poll: More than half of Mass. Republicans considered leaving state over past year,” by Ross Cristantiello, Boston.com: “The UMass Amherst/WCVB poll, the results of which were released this week, found that 53% of Republicans in Massachusetts have thought about moving elsewhere in the past year. It also found that 47% of independents had similar thoughts. Nearly four in 10 Massachusetts residents overall have contemplated the idea.” — “Strained by housing crisis, Mass. funneling millions of dollars each month to shore up shelter system for homeless families,” by Samantha J. Gross and Mike Damiano, Boston Globe: “Last month, Governor Maura Healey signed a budget bill that will inject $85 million into the shelter system, which is operating beyond capacity and failing to keep pace with accelerating demand. But that infusion is likely to cover little more than half a year of costs, according to a Globe review of state payment records. … In February alone, taxpayers footed the bill for nearly $12 million of shelter space, office rentals, employee salaries, and, increasingly, hotel rooms the state rents at great expense because traditional shelters are full.” — “Debate emerging on Beacon Hill over bill that would limit job security for veteran teachers to preserve educator diversity,” by James Vaznis, Boston Globe: “A legislative effort to increase the diversity of the state’s teaching corps could weaken job protections for veteran educators, a trade-off that has sparked controversy and drawn opposition from the state’s largest teachers unions.” ROE FALLOUT — “For Wu and Healey, reproductive rights become a selling point,” by Jennifer Smith, CommonWealth Magazine: “At events on Beacon Hill on Monday, the governor and mayor suggested the strong support in Massachusetts for reproductive rights could lure college students, businesses, and health care professionals away from the roughly two dozen states that have either banned or are likely to ban abortion.” Healey expanded on that in an MSNBC interview : “Come to Massachusetts. We’re a great state, great place to live, great place to earn a living, great place to grow a family. And by the way, we’re going to protect your freedom.” — MORE: “How UMass Amherst mobilized to procure the state’s 15,000 mifepristone doses,” by Hilary Burns, Boston Globe. — SIGN OF SUPPORT: House Democratic Whip Katherine Clark and Reps. Jim McGovern, Lori Trahan, Jake Auchincloss, Stephen Lynch, Richard Neal and Ayanna Pressley joined more than 200 of their colleagues in signing onto an amicus brief in support of the Biden administration’s appeal of the Texas court ruling jeopardizing access to mifepristone.     FROM THE HUB — “Boston celebrates the life of Mel King at South End funeral,” by Alexi Cohan, GBH News: “Mel King's former students said he believed in them when no one else would. Elected officials said he's the reason they were voted into office. His family said he was an inspiration to all of them.” — "Mayor Michelle Wu to roll out $4.28 billion budget, highlighting ‘sustained investments’," by Emma Platoff, Boston Globe: "Boston Mayor Michelle is set to formally unveil Wednesday her proposal for the city’s $4.28 billion operating budget, maintaining investments in core city services while laying the groundwork for new priorities, including a new city planning department and green renovations to public housing." — FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: The LGBTQ+ Victory Fund has endorsed John Moran for 9th Suffolk state representative. Moran would be the first openly LGBTQ+ person to hold the seat, his campaign said. PLANES, TRAINS AND AUTOMOBILES — “Multiple derailments quickly follow MBTA leadership change,” by Gayla Cawley, Boston Herald: “Two pieces of work equipment quietly derailed on back-to-back days on the Blue and Red Lines, an MBTA spokesperson confirmed. The derailments occurred within a roughly eight-hour time frame on the Blue and Red Lines Monday night and Tuesday morning, respectively, following positive press coverage that accompanied Phillip Eng’s first day as MBTA general manager.” — “One man killed by MBTA train, another escapes injury on tracks,” by the Salem News. DAY IN COURT — “Federal embezzlement trial of four Boston police officers accused of overtime scam is underway,” by Shelley Murphy, Boston Globe: “Lawyers for four former and current Boston police officers accused of running an overtime scam out of the department’s evidence warehouse told jurors Tuesday that there’s no dispute they were paid for overtime hours they didn’t work, but said they were merely following longstanding practices accepted by top brass.”   GO INSIDE THE 2023 MILKEN INSTITUTE GLOBAL CONFERENCE:  POLITICO is proud to partner with the Milken Institute to produce a special edition "Global Insider" newsletter featuring exclusive coverage, insider nuggets and unparalleled insights from the 2023 Global Conference, which will convene leaders in health, finance, politics, philanthropy and entertainment from April 30-May 3. This year’s theme, Advancing a Thriving World , will challenge and inspire attendees to lean into building an optimistic coalition capable of tackling the issues and inequities we collectively face. Don’t miss a thing — subscribe today for a front row seat .     FROM THE 413 — “Online vitriol against Easthampton School Committee turns into real-life threats,” by Luis Fieldman, MassLive: “A controversy over a rescinded superintendent job offer set off a firestorm of online vitriol last week against school officials in Easthampton. Some officials say online harassment has turned into actual threats. … At least two committee members stated that they were visited by Easthampton police to warn them of threats made against them.” THE LOCAL ANGLE — “Somerset elects newcomer to Select Board,” by Bruce Mohl, CommonWealth Magazine: “Voters in Somerset elected a new member to the Select Board on Monday who has expressed interest in resolving a dispute that has stalled the sale of land at Brayton Point to an Italian company interested in building a $300 million factory to produce subsea cable for the offshore wind industry.” — “Eversource to cut Mass. natural gas rates by up to 20%,” by Christian M. Wade, Eagle-Tribune: “The energy company, which serves about 1.4 million customers in Massachusetts, has filed a request to the state Department of Public Utilities that would, if approved, reduce the average residential customer’s bill by 15-20% a month, compared to last summer’s seasonal rates.” — MEANWHILE, IN RHODE ISLAND: "Marvin Abney joins fray to replace Cicilline for Congress; 12th Dem to join," by Eli Sherman, WPRI.   HEARD ‘ROUND THE BUBBLAH TRANSITIONS — Sam Mintz is now founding editor of Brookline.News. Ellen Clegg is co-founder of the new local-news venture. GBH News has more . — Former Sen. Richard Burr (R-N.C.) is joining the Harvard Kennedy School’s Institute of Politics as a spring 2023 visiting fellow to finish out the semester. — Micki Duncan is joining Bryson Gillette as a director of public affairs after working on Maura Healey’s gubernatorial campaign. — Alex Nally has joined state Sen. Julian Cyr’s office as legislative director and deputy general counsel. HAPPY BIRTHDAY — to Romneycare, Dan Manning, Ilya Rasner and Milo Zanecchia . Want to make an impact? POLITICO Massachusetts has a variety of solutions available for partners looking to reach and activate the most influential people in the Bay State. Have a petition you want signed? A cause you’re promoting? Seeking to increase brand awareness among this key audience? Share your message with our influential readers to foster engagement and drive action. Contact Jesse Shapiro to find out how: jshapiro@politico.com .   Follow us on Twitter Lisa Kashinsky @lisakashinsky   Subscribe to the POLITICO Playbook family Playbook  |  Playbook PM  |  California Playbook  |  Florida Playbook  |  Illinois Playbook  |  Massachusetts Playbook  |  New Jersey Playbook  |  New York Playbook  |  Ottawa Playbook  |  Brussels Playbook  |  London Playbook View all our politics and policy newsletters FOLLOW US

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2 former state troopers charged in overtime fraud scheme

The Associated Press

Dec 12, 2020 

BOSTON  — A former Massachusetts State Police lieutenant and sergeant were arrested Friday on charges that they stole tens of thousands of dollars in an overtime pay fraud scheme and destroyed documents in an attempt to cover it up.

Former police Lt. Daniel Griffin and Sgt. William Robertson are charged in federal court with conspiracy, federal programs embezzlement and wire fraud. Griffin also faces additional charges related to a separate scheme to defraud a private school, prosecutors said.

Emails seeking comment were sent to their attorneys.

“Today’s charges involve losses for the taxpayers, and also for the Massachusetts State Police, a premier law enforcement institution that must do a better job self-policing and eliminating this kind of misconduct,” U.S. Attorney for Massachusetts Andrew Lelling said at a news conference announcing the charges.

Between at least 2015 and 2018, Griffin and Robertson, who were part of the Traffic Programs Section at State Police Headquarters in Framingham, arrived late to and left early from federally funded overtime shifts on a “coordinated and routine basis” and then tried to conceal the fraud by making bogus entries in the police force's record keeping system, Lelling told reporters.

During some of the shifts, they were supposed to be manning sobriety checkpoints looking for drunken drivers, authorities said.

When the troopers found out that federal officials were investigating overtime fraud within State Police, Lelling said they destroyed evidence by shredding and burning documents and forms in attempt to cover up their crimes.

“Everyone must be treated equally under the law, and we will keep doing these cases until this kind of abuse stops — abuse that is deeply unfair to the vast majority of law enforcement officers who are doing their job the right way, already under difficult circumstances," Lelling said in an emailed statement.

Authorities say Griffin also ran a security business called KnightPro on the side, and used hundreds of thousands of dollars in income from that business to pay for things like private school tuition for his children. Prosecutors say he also filed misleading financial aid applications that understated his income to get more than $175,000 in financial aid from the private school over several years.

“The conduct as alleged is unacceptable and does not represent the standards and professionalism expected of Massachusetts State Troopers," State Police commander Col. Christopher Mason said in a statement.

Three other troopers were referenced but not named in the indictments. Mason's statement said their identities are known to the department and they are all subject to Internal Affairs investigations.

In a separate overtime scandal, 46 current and retired troopers who worked for the now disbanded Troop E, which patrolled the Massachusetts Turnpike, were implicated in a scheme in which they collected overtime pay for shifts they either did not work or did not complete from 2015 until 2017.

Ten were charged criminally, some were disciplined or fired and at least one has lost his pension, although that decision has been appealed.

That scandal led to several reforms, including GPS tracking in cruisers, increased supervisory oversight, regular time and attendance audits, and additional ethical training.

3000 × 2000

US Attorney: Lakeville VA worker created fake company to embezzle thousands via fake equipment purchases

Posted Jan 28, 2020 

BOSTON — A Lakeville man, who is a Department of Veterans Affairs employee, was charged Tuesday in U.S. District Court with embezzling nearly $70,000 in VA funds, federal prosecutors said.

Michael Donaher, 41, was arrested Tuesday and charged with one count of embezzlement and theft of public money, property or records, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney’s office. He was released on conditions following an initial appearance in U.S. District Court.

According to the complaint, Donaher works as an inventory management specialist for the Veterans Affairs Medical Facility in Brockton and purchases equipment for the facility, prosecutors said. Prosecutors claim Donaher used his government-issued purchase cards to made fraudulent transactions and routed the proceeds to his personal bank account.

Donaher tried to conceal these fraudulent purchases by making it appear as if they were made through a large company — FW Webb — that the VA frequently used for legitimate business, prosecutors said. The purchases were actually made through a company Donaher created through Square, Inc., a mobile payment company.

These purchases were not for actual items ever received by the VA and Donaher attempted to hide this fact by annotating the items as having been received within the VA’s accountability system. prosecutors said.

According to the complaint, Donaher fraudulently routed about $70,000 in VA funds to his personal account since the scheme began in 2016, they said.

The charging statute provides a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000, according to the news release.

United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and Jeffrey Stachowiak, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Department of Veteran Affairs, Office of the Inspector General, Northeast Field Office, made the announcement Tuesday. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eugenia M. Carris of Lelling’s Public Corruption & Special Prosecutions Unit is prosecuting the case.