CrimProf Luiz Flavio Soares Discusses Criminals' Love For Brazil

From: bloomberg.com: South University of Santa Catarina CrimProf Luiz Flavio Soares discusses the long list of criminals who have sought refuge in Rio de Janeiro or neighboring Sao Paulo. Nazi doctor Josef Mengele, U.K. train robber Ronnie Biggs and American murder suspect Jesse James Hollywood, one of the youngest people to appear on the FBI's Ten Most-Wanted List, all fled to Brazil.

Dreams of disappearing in a carefree paradise and a sense that laws aren't rigidly enforced draw the fugitives. Corruption makes it easy to obtain false documents, and a thriving underground economy allows criminals to stay under cover for years, said CrimProf Luiz Flavio Soares.

"Brazil is a natural magnet,'' said Senator Romeu Tuma, 75, who worked for the country's federal police for 50 years. ``It's easier for foreign criminals to blend in here because they don't need to speak the language and can live with fake documents.''  Rest of Article. . . [Mark Godsey]