Brazilian police allege an Italian refiner purchased gold from a trader sourcing it illegally in the Amazon rainforest region, according to police documents, and corporate disclosures show that refiner has supplied the precious metal to four of the world’s largest tech companies.
Public filings by Amazon.com, Apple, Microsoft and Google-parent Alphabet name the private Italian firm Chimet as a source of some gold used in their products. Tech companies often use small amounts of the metal in circuit boards for consumer electronics.
According to police documents obtained by investigative journalism outfit Reporter Brasil and reviewed by Reuters, Brazilian federal police have accused Chimet of buying millions of dollars in gold from trader CHM do Brasil, which allegedly acquired the precious metal illegally from wildcat miners.
CHM do Brasil, responding to questions via a lawyer, said all its gold was legally acquired with proper documentation.
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