RIO DE JANEIRO: Federal police who raided the upmarket home of Brazilian Olympics supremo Carlos Arthur Nuzman found not only him but also around $153,000 in cash in five different currencies.

Nuzman’s home in the Leblon suburb was among 11 properties raided by 70 officers acting on evidence provided by the French prosecutor’s office concerning allegations of Olympic host award vote-rigging in 2009.

According to local media reports officers in Operation Unfair Play discovered and seized 102,950 Brazilian reals [US$33,000], €67,720 [US$80,000], US$35,472, 8,260 Swiss francs  [US$8,640] and £1,315) [US$ 1,700]. They also removed a computer and a bag of documents.

Agents told media that, although there was a safe in the house, most of the cash was stashed in drawers scattered around the house. Nuzman, who headed the Rio 2016 Games bid and organising committees and is Brazil’s national Olympic president, has had to surrender his passport and his cash assets have been frozen.

The raid warrants were granted by Judge Marcelo Bretas of the 7th Criminal Court of Rio.

Eliane was arrested at his home in Laranjeiras and taken to the headquarters of the Federal Police in Rio de Janeiro.

Police spokesman Anderson Beaubrun said: “Nuzman is under investigation. We are trying to gather evidence and he will have to provide clarification about his travels, about his agenda, and maybe meetings between different parties.”

He would not speculate on the extent of the vote-rigging linked to the payments to former world athletics federation consultant Papa Massata Diack.

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