A Supreme Court judge in Brazil has authorized police to access the bank records of ex-president Jair Bolsonaro and his wife, Michelle, over allegations they embezzled jewelry and other official gifts, media reports said.
Bolsonaro and former aides are under investigation over allegations they tried to illegally keep and sell expensive objects received from countries such as Saudi Arabia and Bahrain during his presidency, including a diamond-encrusted Rolex and jewels from Swiss luxury house Chopard.
Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes authorized federal police to investigate the Bolsonaros’ bank and tax records in Brazil, and also request access to their bank and tax records in the United States, reported Brazilian media outlets, including news site G1.
The Supreme Court and federal police did not immediately respond to requests from AFP to confirm the reports.
Bolsonaro, who held office from 2019-2022, left Brazil for the United States two days before the end of his term, snubbing the January 1 inauguration of his successor, veteran leftist Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who beat him in a divisive election last October.
In the United States, Bolsonaro aides allegedly sold or attempted to sell various valuable gifts from foreign governments.
Last week, Moraes ordered police raids of several Bolsonaro allies’ homes in connection with the investigation.
Bolsonaro denied wrongdoing when he was ordered to face questioning by police in April.
