Cops in Brazil have confiscated 33 luxury motors and boats from a businessman influencer with over 1 million followers in a money-laundering and tax evasion bust.
Jonatas Dias dos Santos was targeted by the police in Indaiatuba, in the Brazilian state of Sao Paulo, on the morning of Tuesday, 12th March, according to local media.
The authorities reportedly targeted his home and his car shop.
Dos Santos has over a million followers on Instagram alone, where he often posts pictures of himself driving fast cars, flying an aircraft, carrying out extreme sports, and working out at the gym.
The photos also show the businessman and influencer with his family in luxury locations and on holiday trips.
The footage shows a large number of luxury cars, including high-end Range Rovers, Mercedes, BMWs. And more, inside a giant warehouse serving as the suspect’s place of business.
The second video shows dos Santos filmed himself giving viewers a tour of the premises and the garage.
The police carried out to search and seizure warrants against him, one at his home and the other at his Fox Automoveis shop.
Two of the vehicles seized at the home were taken to the federal police station in Campinas, according to local media.
The other 31 vehicles, including the watercraft, were seized and kept at the business, which was secured by the authorities.
The operation, dubbed Latus Actio, is reportedly geared towards investigating people with links to companies in the entertainment and auto parts sectors in the state.
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The authorities are so far carried out 15 search and seizure warrants in the area.
Dos Santos told local media that he was cooperating with the investigation.
He said: “Unfortunately, there’s nothing I can do about that. It’s an operation, an investigation.”
He added: “For now, we just have to collaborate with everything, with the investigation, with questions, with interrogations.
“It turns out that I don’t have much or anything to say to you for now. I am calm and everything is fine.”
Local media reported that the police investigation was launched in 2022 after the authorities identified suspicious financial transactions between the number of people and companies.
The authorities suspect that a number of these people and entities were being used as shells to move money illegally so as to avoid having to cope to the tax authorities.
The police said that a number of bank accounts belonged to individuals being investigated for crimes such as drug trafficking.
The authorities have so far froze approximately BRL 1 billion (GBP 157 million) in assets belonging to the individuals being investigated, who, other than dos Santos, have not been named.
