Jose Aldo and his wife are being accused of potentially taking COVID-19 relief funds.
Viviane Pereira Oliveira, Aldo’s wife, allegedly applied for government relief from Brazil in the aftermath of the COVID pandemic. Although the situation is more complicated than most headlines, the former UFC champion is being discredited by the accusations. Lucas Rezende of BloodyElbow learned about the news from Extra, a Brazilian news outlet, and had this to say in his report:
“Per Brazilian news outlet Extra, Oliveira’s name was found on Portal da Transparencia, Brazil’s public finance tracking website. It shows her allegedly receiving emergency payouts from a fund designated for some of the country’s poorest families during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.”
The main concern for Oliveira allegedly claiming COVID relief funds is that she and Aldo are considered wealthy. They currently own a $750,000 mansion in Florida used for vacationing. The former UFC champion’s wife denies any wrongdoing, claiming the accusations to be politically motivated.
Viviane Pereira Oliveira, the wife of Jose Aldo, responds to the allegations
Jose Aldo is close friends with Brazil’s controversial ex-president Jair Bolsonaro. The far-right politician has fled Brazil and moved into Aldo’s vacation home, which has created some backlash. Viviane Pereira Oliveira responded to the relief funds accusations by saying this on her private Instagram account:
“Just because we put Bolsonaro in our house, the leftists are now snooping on our life. I have never received or registered for emergency help”
Aldo is expected to make his professional boxing debut on February 10. It’ll be intriguing to see if the accusations towards him and his wife affect his boxing aspirations. It should be noted that the COVID relief funds being questioned are reportedly under $1,000.
The Brazilian MMA legend signed made his UFC debut in 2011 after going 8-0 in WEC. Aldo went on to become a UFC champion with wins over Chad Mendes, Frankie Edgar, Chan Sung Jung, Kenny Florian, and more. Despite the 36-year-old being questioned for his political views, MMA fans will always remember him as a humble, fearless warrior.
Watch some highlights that Jose Aldo posted on Instagram below:
