The US’s decision to give haven to defeated far-right presidential candidate Flavio Bolsonaro is entirely predictable, but no less appalling for that. Bolsonaro fled with the collusion of Argentina’s fascist president Javier Milei and then promptly – and just as unsurprisingly – declared himself the real president of Brazil, despite his decisive defeat by left-winger Lula da Silva. But Brazilian lawyer Thiago Süssekind worries that the uninformed might not understand the extent of Bolsonaro’s alleged crimes – so he has put together a thread on X to educate them.

“Evidence of corruption”

Süssekind begins by outlining the justification for a Brazilian judge’s order for the confiscation of Bolsonaro’s passport as soon as polls closed in the presidential election:

1) The seizure of Flávio Bolsonaro's passport was ordered as part of the investigation into his relationship with Willer Tomaz, a lawyer accused of being a professional money launderer. In 2025 alone, Mr. Tomaz moved US$1 billion through a single betting platform. Let’s dive in:

— Thiago Süssekind (@ThiagoSussekind) October 29, 2026

He then elaborates on the background of the money-laundering allegations – against Bolsonaro and his alleged backer Willer Tomaz :

b) Mr. Tomaz owns an offshore company, “Alcazar Holdings”, which held a one-third stake in a private jet used by disgraced banker Daniel Vorcaro — now in prison over the biggest financial scandal in Brazil's history — who owned another third. Police suspect Flávio is a partner.

— Thiago Süssekind (@ThiagoSussekind) October 29, 2026

The US and Israel spent heavily trying to install the pro-Israel Bolsonaro . Tomaz already fled justice and was allowed to remain in the US.

Süssekind then explains how Bolsonaro’s alleged scandals extend beyond Tomaz. First, he notes that Bolsonaro took $24m from a jailed banker:

2) His ties to Mr. Tomaz aren't the only scandal Flávio is allegedly involved in. Far more consequential for the election was his closeness to the jailed banker who owned the other third of that private jet. Flávio asked Mr. Vorcaro for US$24M to fund a biopic about his father. pic.twitter.com/M5K3grlERA

— Thiago Süssekind (@ThiagoSussekind) October 29, 2026

The film was so bad it became a laughing stock:

b) In WhatsApp texts with Mr. Vorcaro, Flávio called him “big bro” and said the banker could “always count on him.” Vorcaro allegedly bribed several Bolsonaro close allies: the governor of the Federal District used public money to try to rescue his bank. And there’s much more:

— Thiago Süssekind (@ThiagoSussekind) October 29, 2026

Bolsonaro’s ally then used cash from state pension funds to bail out Vorcaro’s failing bank and Bolsonaro’s allies joined in, receiving inducements:

3) Back in 2007, as a state lawmaker, Flávio publicly defended the “milícias” — a form of organized crime that emerged in Rio to control territory and charge residents protection fees. His ties to these criminals, especially Adriano da Nóbrega, are still cause for concern.

— Thiago Süssekind (@ThiagoSussekind) October 29, 2026

And he then details Bolsonaro’s connections to organised crime – including murder – and later-dropped charges for diverting public funds to them:

Adriano's wife worked in Flávio's office at the state assembly from 2007 to 2018; his mother, from 2016 to 2018. Both are suspected of taking part in a scheme that diverted public funds from the office. Flávio was charged, though the case was later annulled on procedural grounds.

— Thiago Süssekind (@ThiagoSussekind) October 29, 2026

And Süssekind goes into the alleged or proven crimes of Bolsonaro’s allies in his home state of Rio:

Flávio's allies in his home state are cause for concern. The politician he had picked to run for Senate is in jail on suspicion of money laundering, and has known ties to the “milícias.” The first gubernatorial candidate he wanted is also in jail, over ties to drug trafficking. pic.twitter.com/cPinFL1igN

— Thiago Süssekind (@ThiagoSussekind) October 29, 2026

And he rounds off by pointing out that, given Bolsonaro’s wealth, he was always a flight risk. The justification for the passport seizure, which was held back during the election to avoid influencing the result, was water-tight:

Given all this, many in Brazil expected that, if defeated, Flávio would leave the country. With his immunity ending, the Federal Police were set to ramp up their investigations — hence the request to seize his passport. Before calling it persecution, please consider our context.

— Thiago Süssekind (@ThiagoSussekind) October 29, 2026

How unsurprising that the corrupt, criminal Trump regime wanted Bolsonaro in place to help Israel and sell the country to the US as Trump’s puppets in Venezuela have done. And even less surprising that the failed Bolsonaro finds refuge in a US that blights the world, from Gaza to South America, Iran and everywhere.