Brazil’s Federal Police launched an operation this morning to target a bribery scheme involving former and current directors of BRB — a bank controlled by the state administration of Brasília. In exchange, these directors would push for investments into the now-defunct Trump Hotel project in Rio de Janeiro (currently named LSH Lifestyle). At least five arrest warrants have been issued by a federal court in Brasília.
The list of investigated individuals is rather odd — including not only bank directors, but also the son and daughter of a 1980s soap opera star, and the grandson of the last president of Brazil’s military dictatorship. Paulo Renato Figueiredo, grandson of the late General João Baptista Figueiredo, has an arrest order against him. He currently lives abroad.
In 2013, Mr. Figueiredo became an associate to U.S. President Donald Trump to develop a luxury hotel in Rio’s flashy Barra da Tijuca neighborhood. He held a license to use the Trump Organization brand until 2016, when it pulled out from the deal two months after Mr. Figueiredo was placed under investigation.
At the time, the Trump Organization avoided mentioning the criminal investigation, blaming construction delays for pulling their brand from...
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