Brazil seized 18.35 million reais ($3.3 million) from the bank accounts of Elon Musk’s X and Starlink to pay for ‘fines’ imposed by the country’s Supreme Court.
“The court ordered the transfer of funds on Wednesday and the accounts have since been unfrozen, according to a statement from the judicial body released Friday,” Bloomberg reports.
🚨New: Brazil has seized $3.3 million from X and Starlink bank accounts to "pay for fines" imposed by the country's Supreme Court. pic.twitter.com/omlnngyIxg
— The Calvin Coolidge Project (@TheCalvinCooli1) September 14, 2024
“Brazil just extorted an American company and international technology asset for millions of dollars,” Ashley St. Clair commented.
Umm hello????
Brazil just extorted an American company and international technology asset for millions of dollars
Where is the State Department?! https://t.co/pvjFVBAkwD
— Ashley St. Clair (@stclairashley) September 13, 2024
Bloomberg reports:
Musk is mired in a bitter standoff with Brazil’s top judge, who is leading a campaign against fake news and hate speech in Latin America’s largest nation. Justice Alexandre de Moraes ordered the platform formerly known as Twitter be banned last month and blocked Starlink’s accounts in a bid to force the US technology impresario’s company to pay the penalties imposed for ignoring a previous order.
“The blocking of the accounts occurred because the justice considered the joint liability between X Brasil Internet Ltda., Starlink Brazil Holding Ltda. and Starlink Brazil Internet Services Ltda. for payment of fines,” the court said Friday.
“X remains banned in Brazil as it has yet to comply with orders from Moraes to block certain user accounts and to appoint a legal representative in the country,” Bloomberg noted.
BRAZIL SEIZES $3.3 MILLION FROM MUSK COMPANIES’ ACCOUNTS (Bloomberg)
Brazil withdrew 18.35 million reais ($3.3 million) from the bank accounts of Elon Musk’s X and Starlink to pay for fines imposed by the Supreme Court, continuing a dispute that’s led to the blackout of the… pic.twitter.com/Ip5Umbj3Y7
— FXHedge (@Fxhedgers) September 13, 2024
Brazil Supreme Court Lifts Freeze on Starlink, X Bank Accounts After $3.3 Million Paymenthttps://t.co/iaRYsWCGjz
— The Epoch Times (@EpochTimes) September 14, 2024
From the Associated Press:
Brazil’s Supreme Court said Friday in a statement that de Moraes ruled to transfer more than 7.2 million Brazilian reais ($1.3 million) from an X bank account and almost 11 million Brazilian reais ($2 million) from a Starlink account.
De Moraes made the decision on Wednesday, Brazil’s Supreme Court said. His ruling on the case is yet to be made public.
Brazil’s Supreme Court also said that the banks that hold accounts of the two companies were informed on Thursday they had complied with the decision.
“After the payment of the full amount that was owed, the justice (de Moraes) considered there was no need to keep the bank accounts frozen and ordered the immediate unfreezing of bank accounts/financial assets,” the Brazilian Supreme Court said.