São Paulo, Brazil – One of Brazil’s most iconic musicians, country singer Leonardo, has been embroiled in a scandal involving the use of slave labor on one of his farms in the state of Goias. The Ministry of Labor has included the artist’s name in the “dirty list” of employers who keep people working in conditions similar to modern slavery.
During an inspection of the property, federal authorities discovered six workers, including a 17-year-old, living and working in extremely degrading conditions. Located in the town of Jussara, the Talismã farm spans over 1,000 hectares and is valued at R$60 million (USD 10.5 million).
Throughout his career, Leonardo – whose real name is Emival Eterno da Costa – has expanded into the livestock and farming business. The farm in question is dedicated to raising cattle and horses. In addition to the dedicated space for raising livestock, the farm also houses an extensive leisure facility for the artist’s family and friends, with volleyball courts, a swimming pool and a large lake that surrounds the main farm residence and where it is possible to go jet-skiing.
(YouTube Playback)
In stark contrast to the luxury of the farm’s social spaces, the workers’ accommodation was found in a dire state. The house they stayed in was dilapidated, with no potable water and no proper sanitation. Inspectors reported that workers slept on makeshift beds fashioned from wooden planks and pesticide barrels, while the rooms were infested with insects and bats and had a foul smell.
According to the Ministry of Labor, these conditions meet the legal definition of modern slavery in Brazil. The inspection, which took place in November 2023, only recently led to the conclusion of the administrative process, placing Leonardo on the government’s “dirty list” of slave labor.
Leonardo’s legal team claims that the violations were not discovered at the Talismã farm itself, but at Lakanka, a nearby plot owned by the singer but leased since 2022. According to his lawyer, the responsibility for hiring and maintaining workers on the Lakanka farm, which produces soybeans and other grains, would lie with the tenant.
However, federal inspectors discovered evidence suggesting that Leonardo was still responsible for maintaining some aspects of the property, including preparing it for work, which ultimately led to his identification as the employer on the list.
(photo: Brazilian Ministry of Labor)
In statements to labor officials, the rescued workers described deplorable living conditions, saying their accommodation had no shower, sink or proper hygiene. One of them claimed that he got sick after the rain wet his bed because the tiles did not completely cover the roof of the house. The group also revealed that they had gone 12 days without a day off and were forced to work grueling hours, starting before 6:00 a.m., clearing rocks and roots without proper safety equipment.
In conversation with the inspectors, the employee who claimed to have been ill from bed rain, said he knew the property belonged to the singer Leonardo. The farm manager testified that the singer had no direct involvement in the workers’ conditions and that Leonardo’s brother, Robson Alessandro Costa, oversaw operations. On the day of the inspection, Robson is said to have asked about the workers’ progress in clearing the roots from the ground.
After the scandal that broke out in Brazil, Leonardo responded through a video posted on social networks. He expressed shock and grief over the allegations and reiterated his legal team’s stance, placing full responsibility on the tenant farmers.
“Everyone in Brazil knows me, knows who I am and knows my integrity. I am completely against this situation,” Leonardo said in the video.
On Wednesday, Leonardo’s lawyer confirmed that a settlement had been reached, giving the six workers R$225,000 (US$40,000) in compensation, paid by the singer himself. In addition, Leonardo was fined R$94,000 (US$17,000).
(Leonardo’s Social Media)
Leonardo first rose to fame in the 1980s as one half of a country music duo with his brother, Leandro. Born in the rural Goiania town of Gojas, the brothers came from humble backgrounds and spent their youth working on their father’s tomato farm. Their big break came in the late 1980s, at a time when the country music genre was booming in Brazil. In 1989, they released one of their biggest hits, Entre Tapas e Beijos, which catapulted them to stardom.
The duo remained at the top of the charts throughout the 1990s until 1998, when Leandro tragically died aged 36 from a rare form of cancer known as Askini’s tumour. His death left a deep impact on the nation, with around 250,000 people attending his funeral procession in Goiania. Despite the devastating loss, Leonardo decided to continue his solo music career, maintaining his status as one of Brazil’s most sought-after performers to date.
At the age of 61 and with a career spanning more than 40 years, he has sold more than 35 million records.
