TLDR Flávio Bolsonaro left Brazil for the U.S. after ignoring a Supreme Court order to hand over his passports. The order came in a money laundering probe tied to betting platforms and lawyer Willer Tomaz. Brazil’s betting regulator says Tomaz deposited more than $48.2 million on betting sites in 2025. A separate inquiry is looking at foreign ads that promoted Polymarket odds favoring Bolsonaro. The Supreme Court will hold a public hearing on Brazil’s betting ban on Nov. 3.
Flávio Bolsonaro, who lost Brazil’s Oct. 25 presidential runoff, has left for the United States after ignoring a Supreme Court order to surrender his passports.
The order is part of a money laundering probe tied to betting platforms and lawyer Willer Tomaz.
How Bolsonaro Left Brazil
Bolsonaro crossed into Argentina on Tuesday night with his wife and two daughters, Argentina’s migration authority said. About 40 minutes later, they boarded a private jet to Ecuador.
The plane landed in Miami on Wednesday morning, according to flight data cited by Brazilian media. The U.S. said it would issue visas to the family, and President Donald Trump said he would approve their entry.
Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes ordered Bolsonaro on Oct. 26 to hand over his Brazilian and Italian passports within 24 hours. The order also barred him from leaving Brazil and from contacting Tomaz.
The Federal Police had cited a “concrete and current” flight risk. They pointed to his wealth, ties abroad, and his brother Eduardo’s suggestion that he leave if he lost. Police canceled his passports after the deadline passed.
Bolsonaro had called the order persecution. “I never thought of leaving the country,” he said at the time.
What Investigators Say About the Betting Case
The probe began in the state of Rio Grande do Sul and