In accordance with a government agency’s directive, a representative of the previous Brazilian president showed up at a state bank wearing a set of diamond jewelry.

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro handed extraordinarily expensive diamond jewelry on Friday, a gift from Saudi Arabia for which he is under investigation on suspicion of importing them illegally. This scandal could have political and judicial repercussions.

According to the press office of the public bank Caixa Economica Federal, a representative of the former president visited the institution and dropped a box containing precious stones at one of its Brasilia branches. On Wednesday, a government oversight agency told Bolsonaro five days to deliver the precious stones he had been given as president.

Officials are looking into whether these objects were a private gift that Bolsonaro attempted to sneak into Brazil without paying taxes, or whether they were a public present that Bolsonaro wrongly attempted to prevent from being put to the presidential collection.

These diamonds, along with others that were taken at the Sao Paulo international airport, were previously covered by the Brazilian press. The seized jewelry was not reported to the tax authorities despite having an estimated worth of several million dollars.

Bento Albuquerque, a former minister of mines and energy under Bolsonaro who traveled to Saudi Arabia on official business in October 2021, confirmed to the daily O State of S.Paulo that two parcels were delivered to his delegation by a Saudi “envoy” at the conclusion of their trip.

Customs officials at the Guarulhos airport in So Paulo, Brazil, discovered that an Albuquerque assistant was concealing one of the crates in his rucksack.

When officials realized the shipment contained diamond jewelry, they seized it for failing to pay the necessary import duties.

The former minister asserted that the gems were meant for first lady Michelle Bolsonaro, as seen in security footage aired by local Media.

With one final try on the tenth day of his term, Bolsonaro’s administration reportedly made at least eight attempts to persuade customs inspectors to release the diamonds.

According to Albuquerque, the second item eluded customs inspection and was sent to Bolsonaro, who would have retained it.

In the early days of the affair, Bolsonaro responded: “They are accusing me of accepting a gift that neither I nor they requested. No unlawful activity on my part exists “He spoke to CNN Brasil.

The pricey Swiss jewelry company Chopard was included in both bundles.

A necklace, a ring, a watch, and a pair of earrings, each worth $3.2 million, were contained in the first.

According to Brazilian media, the second set, which included a watch, a ring, a pen, a pair of cufflinks, and a rosary, was valued at $75,000 in total.

According to the newspaper Newspaper, the former president, who is currently in the United States and has been there since Lula da Silva assumed office on January 1, declared that he would be returning to Brazil on Thursday.