Tottenham Hotspur forward Richarlison has asked police to intervene in a dispute over a private island off Rio de Janeiro, alleging that Brazilian presidential candidate Flavio Bolsonaro took control of the property without paying him, putting an investment of about 10 million Brazilian reais at risk.
Key takeaways
- Richarlison says he bought the island between 2020 and 2021 but has yet to make any return on the investment.
- The player alleges that Flavio Bolsonaro and businessman Weller Tomas assumed control of the property within 24 hours.
- He claims legal delays involving the island’s ownership papers were used against him after he declined to sell.
- Bolsonaro, the son of former president Jair Bolsonaro, has rejected the accusations as fabricated.
- Richarlison has urged police to investigate and called on supporters to seek answers from the right-wing candidate.
Island investment becomes legal dispute
The Brazilian international said an investment made away from football has developed into a high-stakes legal and financial conflict. Richarlison purchased the island, located off the coast of Rio de Janeiro, over the 2020-2021 period and says he committed roughly 10 million reais to the asset.
Despite that spending, the striker said he has received no financial benefit from the property. In a video shared with followers, he said he had not wanted to sell the island and accused the other side of exploiting unresolved legal procedures.
“I did not want to sell the island to him, so they took advantage of the situation through the courts,” Richarlison said. He added that paperwork establishing ownership was still being completed and that he had been told the process could take months, or even years.
Richarlison alleged that Flavio Bolsonaro and Weller Tomas then went to the island and took it over in a single day. “The justice system failed in this case,” he said, claiming that, to his knowledge, they acquired the property without spending money.
“I put around 10 million reais into that island and got nothing back,” the footballer said.
Bolsonaro rejects claim
Richarlison has called on Brazilian police to conduct a full investigation, including tracing what happened to the capital he says he invested in the island. He has also asked supporters to press Flavio Bolsonaro for an explanation.
Bolsonaro denied the claims, calling them “fabricated information.” His response came after Brazilian media personality and recording artist Juliette posted a video criticizing the political approach of the right-wing presidential candidate.
Richarlison replied to that exchange with a short public challenge: “And my island?”
