Retired military policeman Fabrício Queiroz, a former aide to Senator Flávio Bolsonaro and a friend of President Jair Bolsonaro, was arrested Thursday morning (18) in Atibaia, in the interior of São Paulo. The Rio de Janeiro court issued the arrest warrant. He was not considered a fugitive.
Queiroz was in a property owned by lawyer Frederick Wassef, responsible for the defenses of Flávio and President Bolsonaro. Wassef is a constant figure at the Palácio da Alvorada, official residence of the Presidency, and at events at the Palácio do Planalto.
The Rio de Janeiro Public Ministry coordinated Operation Angel, named after Wassef's nickname. The Public ministry told the São Paulo police Queiroz’s whereabouts. Flávio's former aide was transferred to Rio de Janeiro on Thursday morning.
Queiroz is being investigated for participating in a scheme in which then-state deputy Flávio Bolsonaro forced his employees to pass on parts of their wages to him. Bolsonaro's son was a state deputy from February 2003 to January 2019.
Queiroz, who has known the president since 1984, has worked with Flavio since 2007.
According to a report by the Financial Activities Control Council, the driver handled R$ 1.2 million (US$ 280.117) between January 2016 and January 2017 - R$ 605 thousand entered his account, and approximately R$ 600 thousand came out. Among the transactions is a check for R$ 24,000 to the current first lady Michelle Bolsonaro.
Translated by Kiratiana Freelon