Brazil police target Tocantins’ governor in investigation of COVID-19 fraud and graft

SAO PAULO (AP) — Brazil’s Federal police Wednesday morning carried out search warrants against the governor of Tocantins state, as part of an investigation into fraud and graft related to COVID-19 funds, a police statement said, adding that 41 other people in the state were also targeted.

Suppliers of the pandemic-related services delivered only part of the contract to the state, despite receiving full payment, the statement said.

The governor, Wanderlei Barbosa is a target of a probe into companies that supplied social assistance services with food kits between 2020 and 2021, a police source with knowledge of the investigation told The Associated Press. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because of the confidential nature of the investigation.

Located in northern Brazil, Tocantins includes a small portion of the Amazon rainforest. Gov. Barbosa, elected in 2022, previously served as vice governor from 2019 to 2022.

Barbosa didn’t immediately respond to an AP request for comment.