Judge Arrested For Using Confiscated Items In Rio

A federal court in Rio de Janeiro sentenced a Brazilian judge to eight years imprisonment on Tuesday for driving confiscated luxury vehicles, local media reported.

Judge Flavio Souza, who was presiding over criminal proceedings against former billionaire Eike Batista, was removed from office in 2015 after he was caught driving Batista’s Porsche Cayenne in Rio.

The judge also kept another luxury car confiscated from Batista in his garage, as well as a piano and several Rolex watches.

They were seized by a court from Batista, once Brazil’s richest man, because of his high debts, the O Globo news portal reported.

In 2012, Batista had a net worth of 30 billion dollars, making him the seventh wealthiest person in the world, according to Forbes magazine.

His wealth plummeted due to strategic mistakes, a drop in oil prices, falling stock prices and criminal proceedings following corruption allegations.

Most of his fortune was made from investments in mining and oil and gas exploration.