Jet Used in Flávio Bolsonaro's Escape to the US Linked to Cocaine-Trafficking Case and Milei Corruption Scandal

The private jet used by Brazilian senator Flávio Bolsonaro to travel to the US after his loss to Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has links to a businessman previously charged in a US cocaine-trafficking case and to a separate corruption investigation involving Javier Milei's Argentina government, raising fresh questions about the company behind the flight.

The reported Gulfstream G400 was operated by Baires Fly SA, an Argentine private aviation company whose business intermediary, Sergio Daniel Mastropietro, has been accused by prosecutors of involvement in an alleged kickback and money-laundering scheme connected to Argentina's National Disability Agency (ANDIS).

Mastropietro also had business dealings with Federico 'Fred' Machado, an Argentine aviation businessman who pleaded guilty in the US to financial crimes after initially facing drug-trafficking charges. The connections have drawn renewed attention to Baires Fly following Bolsonaro's departure from Brazil.

Private Jet Used After Bolsonaro Crossed Into Argentina

Bolsonaro and his family crossed from Brazil into Argentina late on Tuesday, before boarding a private jet bound for Guayaquil, Ecuador, according to Argentine immigration authorities. The aircraft subsequently travelled onwards to Miami, where the family arrived on Wednesday. It was not immediately clear who contracted Baires Fly for the journey.

The journey followed Bolsonaro's defeat to Lula in Brazil's presidential run-off and a Brazilian Supreme Court order requiring him to surrender his passport and barring him from leaving the country.

The order was connected to a criminal investigation into his alleged ties to lawyer Willer Tomaz, who is suspected of money laundering. Note that Bolsonaro denied any wrongdoing.

Links to Man Accused in US Cocaine-Trafficking Case

The connection to the US criminal case runs through Mastropietro's business relationship with Machado, who was charged in 2021 in a case involving alleged international drug trafficking, money laundering, and financial fraud.

US prosecutors alleged that Machado and others participated in a network involving aircraft transactions and criminal activity linked to large cocaine shipments. Machado's aviation business, South Aviation, was among the entities identified in the investigation.

According to corporate records cited by media outlets, Machado and Mastropietro were shareholders in SO VAIN SA, a company established in Argentina in 2010. Machado was named president, while Mastropietro served as an alternate director. US court records also show that Mastropietro received more than $800,000 in wire transfers from one of Machado's US-based companies.

Machado was extradited from Argentina to the US in November 2025, and he subsequently pleaded guilty to financial crimes. A Texas federal court found him guilty in August 2026 of conspiracy to commit money laundering and wire fraud. The original drug-trafficking charge was reportedly dropped as part of the plea agreement.

Baires Fly Payments Under Scrutiny in Argentina's ANDIS Scandal

The aviation company's other connection involves Argentina's disability agency, ANDIS, which became the focus of a major political scandal in 2025.

The investigation centres on suspected irregularities in public contracts for medicines, prosthetics, and medical equipment intended for people with disabilities. Prosecutors have examined allegations of inflated prices, kickbacks, contract manipulation, and money laundering.

Mastropietro has been accused of playing a role in the alleged scheme. Two suppliers under investigation reportedly transferred considerable funds to a Baires Fly bank account on 10th September 2025. The payments were reportedly followed by invoices for the advance purchase of flight hours. Prosecutors suspect that transactions involving aviation services may have been used to disguise money originating from improper public contracts.

On 16th October, federal judge Ariel Lijo ordered formal charges against Mastropietro on suspicion of aggravated money laundering and criminal association. Charges were also reportedly expanded against former ANDIS director Diego Spagnuolo and other alleged participants.

Mastropietro has denied managing or formally belonging to Baires Fly, saying he acted as an intermediary arranging aviation services. Meanwhile, Baires Fly has disputed its alleged association with money laundering.

The investigation has placed pressure on President Javier Milei's administration. The scandal erupted in August 2025 after leaked audio attributed to Spagnuolo allegedly discussed bribes and referred to Milei's sister, Karina Milei. Milei dismissed Spagnuolo after the allegations emerged.

In November 2023, shortly after winning Argentina's presidential election, Milei travelled to the US aboard an aircraft operated by the company. The shared aviation connection has attracted additional attention because Milei has been a political ally of the Bolsonaro family. He campaigned in support of Bolsonaro, while the Argentine government's handling of the Brazilian election has added another political dimension to the episode.