Starting in 2023, investigations into the jewelry presented to the former president are proceeding at a slow pace on all investigation fronts — criminal, administrative and fiscal, the latter being at risk of prescription.
A set consisting of six items — a watch, a pen, a ring, a pair of cufflinks and a rosary, all from the Swiss brand Chopard — entered Brazil in 2021 without being declared or detected by Brazilian authorities.
On the same occasion, an advisor to the then minister (Mines and Energy) was caught at Guarulhos International Airport with another jewelry kit, which ended up seized by .
The case that went unnoticed was handed over to Bolsonaro, who tried to sell the jewelry abroad. The suspected assets were valued by the PF (Federal Police) at more than .
The episode generated a procedure at the (União Audit Court), a customs investigation and a criminal investigation, for which the former president has already been indicted before the (Supreme Federal Court).
Since Bolsonaro was indicted by the Federal Police, in July 2024, there has been no news in the process, the future of which is in the hands of the Attorney General of the Republic, .
He can report the former president to the STF, ask for further action or request archiving. He has stated to interlocutors that he will define “soon” which of these paths will be taken. The inquiry has the minister as rapporteur.
According to the PF, evidence points to “a high value” and incorporation of these resources into Bolsonaro’s assets through money laundering.
In relation to the tax process, the IRS warned of the risk of prescription, as early as October this year, for the crimes of embezzlement and administrative advocacy, if the TCU does not share information about the jewelry with the agency, which still needs to be examined.
The Revenue delegate responsible for the case, Emanuel Boschetti, sent a letter to the Court of Auditors in December, asking for “special attention” to the process, under penalty of “making timely action unfeasible and causing the loss of the State’s right to punish”, which is five years from the date of the infraction.
Wanted by Sheetthe TCU states that “the process was sent to the technical area for examination of the aforementioned letter from the Federal Revenue Service”, that “there is no court decision on the matter” and that, at this moment, “there is no public information”.
The , in which it is discussed whether Saudi jewelry is personal items or public property, also does not have a date for consideration in the TCU plenary. The case is being reported by Minister Augusto Nardes.
The Court of Auditors judged a similar case in 2024 involving a . The decision was that the PT member did not need to return it, as the law does not provide for these gifts to be considered public goods.
The TCU’s understanding of Lula’s watch gave hope to Bolsonaro’s defense, but the specific case regarding the former president’s jewelry is still pending judgment, almost three years after the initial petition.
Nardes’ office informed the Sheet that “the matter was forwarded to the technical unit for instruction” and that the accounting must be taken to the collegiate “as soon as activities are resumed” after the recess.
Bolsonaro’s defense was also sought by the report, but he didn’t respond. Currently, the former president, nickname of the 19th Military Police Battalion of the Federal District, located in the Papuda Penitentiary Complex.
He is serving a sentence of 27 years and three months, imposed by the First Panel of the STF last September, for
