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Brazilian Lawmaker Hides Cash in Underwear During Police Search, Gets Busted

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A Brazilian lawmaker stepped down from his position representing President Jair Bolsonaro’s government and was suspended from the senate after police searched his house and found cash inside the underwear he was wearing.

Federal police targeted Sen. Chico Rodrigues as part of a probe into the alleged misappropriation of coronavirus funds, according to the 90-day suspension issued by Luís Roberto Barroso, a justice on Brazil’s Supreme Court.

Police initially found 10,000 reais ($1,780) and $6,000 inside a safe in Rodrigues’ house on Wednesday, at which point the lawmaker asked if he could go to the bathroom, according to the police report.

As Rodrigues walked away, a police officer noticed a large, rectangular bulge under the senator’s shorts.

“Found inside his underwear, near his buttocks, were stacks of money that totaled 15,000 reais ($2,675),” the report says.

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Asked three times whether he had any additional cash stowed, the senator reached into his underwear to retrieve more stacks of bills, which totaled 17,900 reais ($3,200), according to the report.

A subsequent police search turned up another 250 reais ($45) from inside his underwear.

Barroso declined to provide to the senate video of that search, as it was “well within [Rodrigues’] intimate clothing″ and could cause ″greater discomfort.″

Barroso wrote that Rodrigues’ decision to hide the money indicated impropriety and had raised the possibility of decreeing preventative imprisonment.

“My home was invaded for having done my job as a lawmaker, getting resources for the state to combat COVID-19,” Rodrigues said in a statement.

“I believe in justice and I will prove that I have nothing to do with any illicit act.”

Earlier Thursday, Rodrigues resigned as deputy leader of Bolsonaro’s government in the senate, according to the nation’s official gazette.

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In the capital, Bolsonaro said Thursday that his government hasn’t been marred by the scandals of previous administrations.

“We are combating corruption; it makes no difference who the person is,” Bolsonaro said when asked about Rodrigues’ case, adding the investigation was a point of pride.

Rodrigues is a member of the joint congressional committee tasked with executing the budget for coronavirus measures.


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