Brazil: Supreme Court unfreezes X, Starlink accounts after $3M fine settlement

Brazil’s Supreme Court has unfrozen the bank accounts of Elon Musk’s companies X and Starlink after recovering over $3 million in fines. The ruling, handed down by Justice Alexandre de Moraes, follows a contentious battle over the companies’ refusal to comply with Brazilian court orders.

The court confirmed on Friday that 7.2 million reais ($1.3 million) was retrieved from X’s account, and nearly 11 million reais ($1.9 million) from Starlink. “After the payment of the full amount that was owed, Justice de Moraes considered there was no need to keep the bank accounts frozen and ordered the immediate unfreezing of bank accounts/financial assets,” the court stated.

The fines stemmed from Musk’s refusal to remove misinformation accounts on X and his failure to appoint a legal representative in Brazil, a legal requirement for companies operating in the country. Musk, who owns both X and Starlink, had sparked controversy by labeling de Moraes an “evil dictator” following the court’s earlier decision to ban X in Brazil.

The case has raised eyebrows, as legal experts questioned the inclusion of Starlink in the penalty, given that it operates independently from X. Despite Musk’s outspoken resistance to liberal governments restricting content on his platforms, critics point to his willingness to comply with right-wing governments, citing his removal of content at the Indian government’s request in 2023.