Brazil Court Restricts Flávio Bolsonaro’s Travel Amid Betting-Linked Investigation

Brazil’s Supreme Federal Court has barred Senator Flávio Bolsonaro from leaving the country and ordered restrictions on his passports as part of an investigation into suspected money laundering involving lawyer Willer Tomaz.

Justice Alexandre de Moraes issued the order, which Bolsonaro disclosed publicly after Federal Police served him on October 26. The proceedings are under seal, limiting access to the court’s full reasoning. 

According to CNN Brasil, which reported obtaining the decision, Moraes cancelled Bolsonaro’s Brazilian passport and required him to surrender any foreign travel documents within 24 hours. The justice also prohibited contact with Tomaz. The investigation concerns alleged money laundering and illicit cross-border transfers; it does not establish either man’s guilt. 

Bolsonaro Challenges the Order

Bolsonaro said the decision was issued on the evening of October 25, shortly after his defeat in the presidential runoff. He characterised it as intimidation and said he had not intended to leave Brazil.

According to his account, the order referenced an earlier statement by his brother Eduardo suggesting that he should leave the country if he lost the election. That explanation comes from Bolsonaro’s public response rather than an openly available court ruling.

Blaze Account Activity Under Scrutiny

The wider investigation has drawn attention to Tomaz’s gambling activity and the controls applied by online operator Blaze.

Brasil de Fato, citing a Finance Ministry technical assessment first reported by UOL, said Tomaz recorded approximately R$5 billion in betting turnover during 2025. Data supplied by Blaze reportedly showed deposits exceeding R$258 million and withdrawals of approximately R$200 million.

The distinction is significant: betting turnover includes money repeatedly wagered and should not be treated as the amount deposited or lost.

According to the report, the Secretariat of Prizes and Betting identified Tomaz as Brazil’s largest depositor on fixed-odds betting platforms that year. It also criticised Blaze’s decision to classify his account as medium risk, arguing that the transaction pattern warranted the highest risk category. 

Lawyer Disputes Allegations

Tomaz’s defence has maintained that his funds were lawful and declared to tax authorities, while disputing reported figures. Separate reporting said financial institutions had flagged unusual transactions associated with transfers to Blaze. 

The passport restrictions are precautionary measures within an ongoing investigation. They do not amount to a criminal conviction or establish that gambling transactions constituted money laundering.