Carlos Nuzman Fights Return to Prison

(ATR) The Brazilian Supreme Court holds a hearing Tuesday to decide if Carlos Arthur Nuzman returns to prison.

The court will hear the merits of the habeas corpus motion that allowed Nuzman, the former president of the Brazilian Olympic Committee, to be held under detention at home while awaiting trial on corruption charges involving the Rio de Janeiro bid for the 2016 Olympics.

The IOC also took action against the Brazilian Olympic Committee soon after his arrest, suspending the NOC. When it was determined that the Brazilian committee was not involved with the allegations, the IOC lifted its suspension.

Brazilian prosecutors accuse Nuzman of passive corruption, criminal organization, money laundering and foreign exchange evasion. The investigation named "Operation Unfair Play" claims Nuzman was involved in a scheme of buying votes of IOC members in Africa in 2009 when Rio won the IOC vote.

The hearing is requested by prosecutors who say that "prison is the only effective measure to prevent Carlos Nuzman from eliminating evidence and prejudicing investigations".

According to prosecutors, Nuzman has concealed assets since his arrest. They claim Nuzman still maintains controlover the COB, where he held the presidency for more than 20 years.

"The documentation demonstrates the power that Carlos Nuzman still exercises with the Brazilian Olympic Committee, with an e-mail of his own so that the payment of the amount of R$ 5,500,000, about $1.7 million for rendering of legal services could be effected, even before its approval in a meeting of the Committee".

Assistant Attorney General Rogério Paiva Navarro says the preventive detention of Nuzman at his home has not kept him from violating bans on contacting the COB.

Navarro argues that the advanced age of Nuzman, now 75, is not enough reason to forego prison for home confinement. The prosecutor also says Nuzman’s defense team has failed to provide evidence of serious illness or the need for special health treatment.

"It is necessary to consider that persistent and systematic practices of corruption, bidding fraud and money laundering of illicit property have been identified. Therefore, the only way of interrupting the daily crimes committed by the said organization is the maintenance of the arrest of its members, " the deputy attorney general said in a statement.

Nuzman's defense argues that returning him to jail "abusive, unnecessary and illegal."

"The Superior Tribunal of Justice revoked pre-trial detention in collegial deliberation and all the grounds of that unanimous decision remain valid until today. There is no reason why a new violence should be practiced against Nuzman , as the Public Prosecutor intends on the basis of illusions and conjectures without protection in reality", says the statement from the Nuzman defense.

Nuzman was initially imprisoned October 5 after his arrest. He has been ordered to remain at home since October 20.

Word of the hearing came as the 2018 Winter Olympics came to an end in PyeongChang. The Games were the first to be missed by Nuzman in 20 years. His passports have been seized, preventing him from travel. He retired as an IOC member in 2012 when he reached age 70. Named an honorary member, he self-suspended himself last year when he was arrested.

Reported by Miguel Hernandez.