Brazilian presidential candidate Flavio Bolsonaro is facing an investigation into alleged corruption and money laundering, shaking the right-wing campaign just weeks before the country’s October election.
A newly released court document shows police have been investigating the 45-year-old senator since July over possible crimes linked to financing the production of a forthcoming film about his father, former President Jair Bolsonaro.
Police carried out dozens of raids Thursday as part of a broader investigation into the alleged embezzlement of public funds by the company producing the film, Dark Horse, which stars US actor Jim Caviezel as Jair Bolsonaro.
“I have nothing to hide. The film is completely legal,” Flavio Bolsonaro said at a campaign event Friday.
Film financing under scrutiny
According to court documents, investigators believe Flavio Bolsonaro met several times with Daniel Vorcaro, the fraud-accused head of the collapsed Banco Master, to discuss financing for the film.
Investigators are also examining the transfer of $12.3 million from a company indirectly linked to Vorcaro to another company connected to an attorney for Flavio’s younger brother, Eduardo Bolsonaro.
Police said Thursday’s raids targeted, among others, Karina Gama, head of the company producing the film, and pro-Bolsonaro congressman Mario Frias, who is listed as its executive producer. Both have been barred from leaving Brazil while the investigation continues. Frias has denied wrongdoing and called the probe a “smoke screen.”
Police officials said the money under investigation came from parliamentary funds available to lawmakers for special projects, often in their electoral strongholds.
Bolsonaro and Lula remain neck-and-neck
The investigation comes as Flavio Bolsonaro and leftist President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva remain closely matched ahead of the Oct. 4 first-round vote.
Flavio entered the presidential race after his father was jailed for attempting a coup following the 2022 election. He has presented himself as a more moderate version of Jair Bolsonaro while campaigning on crime, corruption, food prices and public debt under the slogan of “God, country, family and freedom.”
Lula, meanwhile, has made tackling organised crime a central campaign issue, while Flavio accuses the incumbent of failing to take violence seriously enough.
Political scientist Mayra Goulart of the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro said corruption scandals could hurt Lula more broadly, but new evidence involving Flavio could affect voters whose preferences remain undecided.
An investigation does not prevent Flavio Bolsonaro from running for president. If neither candidate wins an outright majority on October 4, Brazil will hold a runoff on October 25.
