No menu items!

COSTA RICA'S LEADING ENGLISH LANGUAGE NEWSPAPER

HomeBrazilFugitive selfie-loving Brazilian mayor surrenders

Fugitive selfie-loving Brazilian mayor surrenders

RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil —  A 25-year-old Brazilian mayor who reveled in posting glamorous pictures of herself on social media and who is suspected of embezzling from the town coffers has surrendered after vanishing for more than a month.

Police responsible for the town of Bom Jardim in the far northeastern state of Maranhão confirmed to AFP reports that Lidiane Leite had turned herself in.

Leite shot to local fame after her boyfriend, farmer Beto Rocha, ran for mayor in 2012, but stepped aside amid corruption allegations.

Leite took over and won in 2013, then quickly became known more for showing off her high-rolling lifestyle than for helping the town of approximately 40,000 in the impoverished region.

Social media selfies and other shots of Leite showed her posing in tight tank tops, low-cut dresses and heavy jewelery as she partied or vacationed.

The pictures included her drinking champagne and appearing in expensive cars, earning her the tag in Brazilian media of “Mayor Showoff.”

On August 20, after prosecutors accused Leite of involvement in the embezzlement of town school funds, she went on the run, only turning herself in on Monday, 39 days later, in the regional capital São Luis. Video on Globo news site showed her entering the police station in an unusually plain all-black outfit.

According to Brazilian media reports, the school fraud and other corruption could involve a total of 15 million reais ($3.6 million).

Trending Now

How Hollywood Gets Costa Rica Wrong – And Ticos Set It Right

I recently watched the original Jurassic Park for the first time. I had often heard the movie was based in Costa Rica, but less...

Costa Rica Eliminated from 2026 World Cup After Honduras Draw

Costa Rica's national team drew 0-0 with Honduras in their final Concacaf qualifier match for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, sealing elimination for both...

Costa Rica Faces Surge in Minor and Migrant Exploitation

Costa Rica faces a growing crisis in the exploitation of minors and migrants, with criminal networks targeting vulnerable people for sex trafficking, forced labor...

Costa Rica Jaguar Documentary Explores Olive Ridley Arribada in Santa Rosa Park

PBS's latest NATURE episode, Jaguar Beach, brings viewers to Costa Rica's Pacific coast, where jaguars and olive ridley sea turtles interact in ways that...

Costa Rica Aims for First Place vs Haiti in World Cup Qualifying Showdown

Costa Rica's quest for a place at the 2026 World Cup heats up on Thursday, when they face Haiti. La Sele currently sits in...

US Supreme Court to Review Border Policy for Asylum Seekers

The Supreme Court of the United States agreed on Monday to examine whether federal authorities can turn away asylum seekers before they cross the...
spot_img
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Travel Insurance
Costa Rica Rocking Chait
Costa Rica Travel

Latest News from Costa Rica