Brazilian man on run for dozen years apprehended in Germany

BERLIN – German authorities captured a man who’s been on the run for a dozen years after being convicted in Brazil of tax evasion and other criminal activities connected to moving hundreds of millions of dollars out of the country, but had to release him after learning his crimes were past the statute of limitations.

The man, identified only as a 60-year-old who is now an Italian citizen, was apprehended in Munich on Thursday, the dpa news agency reported Friday.

He was apparently en route to the U.S. but turned back to Italy due to a problem with his passport, and was on his way to Venice through Munich when arrested.

Focus magazine reported he allegedly moved $820 million out of Brazil illegally and the country has had an international arrest warrant out for him since 2004.

Prosecutors’ spokesman Joachim Ettenhofer told The Associated Press the details of the man’s crimes in Brazil were not clear, but said after his arrest Brazilian officials informed Munich authorities they were past the statute of limitations so the man had to be released.

He said it is not clear whether the man has now returned to Italy.