Richarlison accuses Senator Flavio Bolsonaro of seizing his £1.5m private island without payment

Richarlison has publicly called on Brazilian federal police to investigate Senator Flavio Bolsonaro, accusing him of unlawfully seizing his private island without making any payment. The Tottenham forward made the allegations in a video posted to social media, claiming Bolsonaro and an associate named Willian Tomas exploited a legal process to take control of the island within 24 hours.

Richarlison purchased the island during the Covid-19 pandemic, between 2020 and 2021. He says several prospective buyers expressed interest, including Bolsonaro, whom he refused to sell to. According to the forward, Bolsonaro even used a drone to film the island — footage Richarlison says appeared on the senator’s Instagram account.

“Flavio Bolsonaro and this guy Willian Tomas went there and, in 24 hours, took possession of the island. That’s where the justice system failed,” Richarlison said in the video. “Those guys took the island without spending a penny, as far as I know. I have not received a penny and I spent around R$10 million — around £1.5 million — there and received nothing.”

Richarlison said his priority is financial restitution rather than recovering the island itself. “I’m asking the federal police to help and investigate this properly because we want answers. I want to recover my money, not get the island back,” he said, adding that he would donate a portion of any recovered funds to a hospital in his hometown.

He also urged his supporters to press Bolsonaro for answers ahead of the presidential run-off against Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, scheduled for Sunday, 25 October.

The dispute adds to what has been a turbulent period for the 27-year-old. Richarlison was left out of Tottenham head coach Roberto De Zerbi’s 25-man Premier League squad after failing to secure a transfer exit during the summer window. He also appeared to publicly clash with De Zerbi on social media, sharing an article that referenced a reported falling-out between the two.

Richarlison has since featured for Spurs’ Under-21s, scoring twice in a 2-2 draw against Cheltenham Town, though Tottenham were eliminated on penalties. His only Premier League appearance this season came in a 3-0 defeat to Brentford, in which he played 68 minutes before being substituted.