TLDR
- Brazilian senator Flávio Bolsonaro arrived in Miami on October 28, three days after losing Brazil’s presidential election.
- He left Brazil through Argentina and Ecuador despite a Supreme Court order banning him from traveling abroad.
- Police are investigating whether he secretly held a stake in online betting site BestBet.
- Lawyer Willer Tomaz, linked to Bolsonaro, placed about $1.3 billion in wagers on Blaze.com across 2025 and 2026.
- A US State Department official said the family would be admitted, and allies say he is expected to seek asylum.
Brazilian senator Flávio Bolsonaro arrived in Miami on Wednesday, October 28, just three days after losing Brazil’s presidential election. He left the country despite a court order banning him from traveling abroad.
Bolsonaro is the son of former president Jair Bolsonaro. He is under investigation over alleged links to an online betting business and possible money laundering.
The senator lost the election to incumbent Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. The win gives Lula his fourth term as president.
Route Through Argentina and Ecuador
Bolsonaro traveled by land into Argentina with his wife and two daughters on Tuesday, October 27, according to Argentine immigration authorities. The family then boarded a private jet at Puerto Iguazú.
The plane stopped in Guayaquil, Ecuador, before landing at Miami-Opa Locka Executive Airport on Wednesday morning. Bolsonaro left the airport under police escort and did not speak to reporters, The Guardian reported.
On Monday, October 26, Brazil’s Supreme Federal Court ordered him to surrender his passports. Justice Alexandre de Moraes also barred him from leaving the country and from contacting lawyer Willer Tomaz.
The order came after federal police raised concerns that Bolsonaro might flee.
Questions Over Betting Business
Investigators are looking at Bolsonaro’s ties to Tomaz. Brazil’s Finance Ministry identified Tomaz as the country’s biggest online gambler last year.
Court documents show Tomaz placed R$6.6 billion, or about $1.3 billion, in total wagers on online casino and sportsbook Blaze.com across 2025 and 2026. Tomaz says the money came from legal sources and was reported to tax authorities.
Federal police are also examining whether Bolsonaro secretly held a stake in BestBet. The online betting site was previously licensed by Loterj, the state lottery of Rio de Janeiro.
Last week, Brazilian magazine piauí reported links between BestBet’s owner, Rede Loto, and two Portuguese holding companies tied to Tomaz.
According to documents described by piauí and Folha de S.Paulo, Bolsonaro was listed as a “master user” on a Santander bank account belonging to Alcazar Holdings. Alcazar is one of those Portuguese companies.
Bolsonaro denies having a joint account with Tomaz or any illegal business ties. Tomaz has disputed the reports and says his companies operate within the law.
The senator also faces a separate probe into alleged financial issues tied to a film about his father. He denies those claims as well.
After the vote, Bolsonaro first refused to accept the result and threatened to seek its annulment. He later dropped that demand when his party accepted Lula’s win, but said he may challenge the result over alleged campaign abuses.
Lula called his opponent’s departure “shameful.”
A senior US State Department official said Bolsonaro and his family would be allowed into the United States. President Donald Trump also voiced support for their arrival.
Allies quoted by Brazilian news outlet Metrópoles said Bolsonaro is expected to seek political asylum in the US.
