The Brazilian Federal Police is investigating the possible involvement of former soccer player Rivaldo and Rafaella Santos, Neymar's sister, in the financing of the attempted coup d'état on January 8 in Brasilia, the capital of Brazil. These events, which shook the political structures of the country, triggered a series of investigations aimed at discovering the origin of the financing of the altercations.
At the center of this investigation is Salomao Vieira, a gospel singer accused of organizing and financing the "coup camps" through donations. There is an arrest warrant for Vieira and it is suspected that he is hiding in Paraguay. The police are examining movements in his accounts worth 2 million reais, about 380,000 euros, a significant sum that raises questions about its origin and use.
The camps funded by these donations served as bases for mobs that attacked key institutions such as Congress, the Supreme Court, and the Planalto Palace. These attacks occurred in a context of political tension, especially after the electoral defeat of former president Jair Bolsonaro, a leader supported by figures such as Rivaldo and Neymar's family.
The link between Rivaldo and Santos with this matter arises from the testimonies of prisoners linked to Vieira. One of them, after being detained by Interpol and returned to Brazil, would have told the police the details of his meeting with Vieira in Paraguay. During these conversations, Vieira would have mentioned Rivaldo and Neymar's sister among the contributors.
Rivaldo would have collaborated with around 50,000 reais, around 9,500 euros. However, his lawyers refuted these accusations, insisting that the donations made by Rivaldo were much more modest, not exceeding 2,000 reais, 380 euros, and that they were intended to help "needy people in the church." However, the Rafaella Santos's entourage denies any involvement in these events.
