Brazil probes Flávio Bolsonaro over alleged ties to betting firms as he reportedly leaves the country
Brazilian authorities are investigating Senator Flávio Bolsonaro for alleged money laundering and tax evasion tied to betting companies. He is reportedly on his way to the US after a court ordered him to surrender his passports.
GamblingSource: iGaming Business
Brazilian Supreme Federal Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes ordered Senator Flávio Bolsonaro to hand over his civilian and diplomatic passports and barred him from leaving the country. The Federal Police requested the measures as part of investigations into crimes including money laundering and tax evasion. Bolsonaro lost the presidential election to Lula last weekend.
According to the investigators, Bolsonaro allegedly held a hidden stake in betting companies that were used for financial crimes, together with lawyer Willer Tomaz, who is also under investigation. Both are said to have been master users of an account at Santander Bank. They denied this, but police found a message in which the lawyer asked the bank to remove Bolsonaro from the account's master credentials.
Tomaz is the majority shareholder of Cathedral Holdings, a Portugal-based company, and the sole shareholder of Rede Loto. Rede Loto controls BestBet and two other brands licensed in Rio de Janeiro. Piauí magazine reported that Bolsonaro was a silent partner in these businesses. The betting site ran for almost two years and earned just over BRL360,000 ($67,275), despite paying the BRL5 million Rio de Janeiro state licence fee. It ran no advertising or other commercial activity. Meanwhile, Tomaz placed more than BRL10 billion in sports bets on Blaze, and the Secretariat of Prizes and Bets identified him as the biggest gambler in Brazil.
On Tuesday, allies of the senator were reportedly told he had left the country. Argentinian outlet Infobae said he crossed into Argentina on foot via the bridge linking Foz do Iguaçu and Puerto Iguazú, intending to fly to the US from there. Other sources suggested he may have left via Venezuela. The Federal Police cancelled his passports after he failed to surrender them by 11am. A source close to the Trump administration said it was aware of the departure, while the State Department has not commented. Brazilian press reports say asylum may be granted.
Bolsonaro is also accused of financial crimes related to funding a film about his father, former president Jair Bolsonaro, who was convicted of an attempted coup. His cases are expected to stay with the Supreme Federal Court, in line with a 2025 ruling on crimes tied to the exercise of office.
Based on reporting by iGaming Business.