Story of Margarida Bonetti, wanted by the United States FBI
Written by: Luna Consolini and Augusto Nucci
The woman in the abandoned house gained international recognition after several videos recording her and the abandoned mansion circulated on the internet. The house is situated in Higienopolis, one of the most expensive neighborhoods in São Paulo, in a deplorable state with shrubbery covering the walls. In gaining fame, the mansion became the city’s hotspot, bringing engagement from various tourists and locals. However, whenever the woman was seen in the windows of the house, a white ointment covered her face. The mysterious circumstances raised questions about who this woman is, why she lives in seclusion in the house, and whether the rumors about her past are true.
The mysterious woman is none other than Margarida Bonetti, daughter of the doctor Geraldo Vicente de Azevedo, born on February 6, 1907, and Maria de Lourdes Danso Vicente de Azevedo. In the late 1970s, she married Renê Bonetti. The couple left the country and decided to live abroad, in the United States, taking with them a Brazilian maid. However, the maid was in a situation analogous to slavery, being emotionally and physically abused. These aggressions resulted in two broken ribs, but the housekeeper still rejected medical support. The maid was not allowed outside of the house, nor received any type of payment in order to prevent her from legally suing the couple. According to Margarida’s neighbor, she lived in the basement of the house. After 20 years of enduring abuse, the maid was eventually able to contact the neighbor.
While the Bonetti’s were traveling the maid was able to, together with the next-door neighbor, get help and escape from the situation and the family. In the early 2000s, when the news broke, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) was quick to get involved. Her husband, who at the time had naturalized himself as American, faced a police investigation and was found guilty, while Margarida fled to Brazil. Renê spent 6 years in prison, while Margarida, living already in her abandoned family home in Higienopolis, escaped prosecution by the FBI due to Brazilian extradition law complications. In 2005 the case against her was closed and allegations were dropped; however, journalists, after her sightings in Higienopolis, brought the events back to light.
After the immense repercussion of the case, the woman in the abandoned house was constantly visited, and many tourists vandalized the area as a response to revolt against her abusive actions 22 years ago. As spoken by a first-hand witness, Sofia Hobeika, who visited the place on August 15th, 2022, she was able to see and talk to Margarida Bonetti who disclaimed having abused the housekeeper and rejected having ever lived in the United States. Additionally, she states that there is a person behind this news that wants to sabotage her, and they are from the maid’s family. Nonetheless, she states that this person is the one behind all the rumors since they have contacts in the Brazilian news network: Record. Saying that this person is trying to incriminate the Bonetti’s, going as far as to say that they have threatened to kill her. However, the veracity of these facts is unknown as some mention Margarida has mental conditions that change her perspective of reality.
Despite all the media attention that the case of the woman in the abandoned house has brought, many elements of her existence in São Paulo still remain mysterious. It is known that Margarida is an heiress, receiving 5 million reais from her father which she could use to better her living conditions, instead, she continues in the broken-down home. Even further the ointment she is seen wearing constantly, as well as mental issues that she may have continued to inspire theories and interest from journalists and spectators alike.
EAC PRESS 