A woman was arrested in Rio de Janeiro on suspicion of stealing more than R$725 million (US$ 135 million) from her mother, most of it in works of art. Among the paintings are works by Tarsila do Amaral and Di Cavalcanti. Jewelry was also stolen and bank transfers were made.
The French elderly woman, Geneviève Rose Coll Boghici, is 82 years old and was held in forced confinement for about a year. The suspect in the crimes is her daughter, Sabine Coll Boghici, who tried a career as an actress and singer and boasts a staunch activist image as an animal protector.
In total, four people have been arrested by DEAPTI (Special Police Department in Support of the Senior Citizens) agents: Sabine, the daughter; Rosa Stanesco Nicolau, known as Mother Valéria de Oxóssi and Sabine's partner; Gabriel Nicolau, son of Rosa; and Jacqueline Stanescos.
The calculation of US$ 135 million includes works of art valued by the victim at approximately BRL 710 million, stolen jewelry estimated at BRL 6 million, payments of BRL 5 million made by the Frenchwoman after being deceived, and another BRL 4 million paid under alleged coercion and threat.
According to the Civil Police, the elderly woman was approached by a woman who pretended to be Diana Vuletic, who said she was a clairvoyant and had seen that her daughter was sick and would die soon.
Translated by Cassy Dias