Ecclestone arrested in Brazil for illegally carrying a gun

26 May 2022 - 16:56 By Reuters
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Bernie Ecclestone was arrested in Brazil late on Wednesday for illegally carrying a gun while boarding a private plane to Switzerland.
Bernie Ecclestone was arrested in Brazil late on Wednesday for illegally carrying a gun while boarding a private plane to Switzerland.
Image: Mark Thompson/Getty Images

Former Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone was arrested in Brazil late on Wednesday for illegally carrying a firearm while boarding a private plane to Switzerland, police said on Thursday.

The Brazilian police found an undocumented LW Seecamp .32 in Ecclestone's luggage during an X-ray screening, police said, adding that the 91-year-old was arrested and taken to a facility at Viracopos airport in Campinas.

Ecclestone acknowledged owning the gun, but said he was unaware it was in his luggage at the time. The Briton paid bail and was freed to travel to Switzerland.

Asked about Ecclestone's arrest, the Sao Paulo state public security office confirmed to Reuters that a businessman was arrested for possession of a firearm at Campinas' airport but did not name him.

The office said the “small, silver coloured pistol” was out of ammunition and the arrestee had to pay 6,060 reais (about R19,827) bail. The handgun was seized.

Ecclestone was not immediately available for comment.

He is married to Brazilian-born Fabiana Ecclestone, an FIA vice-president and member of the World Motor Sport Council.

They attended several events in the South American country in May, including a local Stock Car race in the countryside near Sao Paulo and a meeting with triple world champion Nelson Piquet in Brasilia.

The Ecclestones own a coffee plantation near Sao Paulo, which they bought in 2012 and where they regularly spend time when not in Europe. Piquet drove for Brabham when it was owned by Ecclestone in the 1970s and 1980s.

For decades Ecclestone was Mr Formula One, the man who did the deals, turned the wheels and transformed the sport into today’s billion dollar business.

He was moved aside in 2017 when US-based Liberty Media took control of the commercial rights.


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