Justin Bieber makes charity donation to close Brazilian graffiti case

Written by . Published: July 07 2017

Justin Bieber will not be prosecuted by Brazilian authorities for spraying graffiti on a hotel wall after he chose to make a charitable donation.


During a stay in Rio de Janeiro city in 2013, the singer was photographed spraying tags onto the wall of the city's abandoned Hotel Nacional.

He was charged with a "crime against the city order and cultural heritage" but the case was suspended until March this year (17) when Brazilian officials said they were reopening it on his return to the country to perform on his Purpose World Tour.

According to editors at Brazilian media company Globo, Judge Rudi Baldi Loewenkron is closing the case after confirming the Canadian popstar had donated $6,000 to Brazil's National Cancer Institute in May (17), on the recommendation of prosecutors.

The initial probe was launched after Bieber, 23, was pictured spraying paint onto the wall of the hotel.

He reportedly had permission to paint at a nearby sports facility but moved location to avoid fans and the media.

In Brazil, defacing buildings is a criminal offense which can result in up to a year in jail.

On his 2013 visit to Rio, Bieber was also caught up in another scandal after he was photographed hiding under a blanket while leaving a well-known brothel.

He allegedly also tried to bring women, who were reportedly escorts, into the city's Copacabana Palace hotel. After security guards turned away his companions, it was claimed that the Sorry singer trashed his hotel room, causing damage costing $6,000.

Bieber and his entourage were later asked to leave the hotel.