Bolsonaro’s biopic producer targeted in Brazil police raids

Brazilian authorities conducted numerous raids on Thursday into the alleged embezzlement of public funds by a company that is producing a biopic about former President Jair Bolsonaro. The film, titled Dark Horse, stars American actor Jim Caviezel as Bolsonaro and has come under scrutiny as part of a corruption scandal in Brazil ahead of the upcoming presidential election.

The elder Bolsonaro was imprisoned last year for plotting to remain in power following his 2022 election loss to incumbent Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. Flavio Bolsonaro, the ex-president's son, is attempting to prevent Lula from securing a fourth term in office. Police executed 49 search and seizure warrants in connection with the investigation, which centers on whether the embezzled funds were used to finance the Bolsonaro film.

The targets of the raids were Karina Gama, head of the production company, and Mario Frias, a pro-Bolsonaro congressman who served as the film's executive producer. Frias has denied the allegations and denounced the investigation as a "smoke screen." The case has raised concerns about potential political interference in Brazil's electoral process, with Flavio Bolsonaro accusing the probe of being an attempt to interfere in the presidential campaign.