Being falsely accused of setting fire in the Amazon with funds from an Oscar-winning actor eventually became a blessing in disguise for Caetano Scannavino, the founder of a nonprofit organisation in the heart of the rainforest.

Brazil's then President Jair Bolsonaro falsely claimed in November 2019 that actor Leonardo DiCaprio had funded nonprofit groups that he alleged were partly responsible for setting the fires. The accusation, though false, created risks for Scannavino and his work promoting sustainable development and citizens' rights in a region along the Tapajos River popular with tourists for its blend of rainforest and beaches.

Four of Scannavino's friends who volunteered as forest firefighters were jailed for two days and then prosecuted as alleged perpetrators of fires in the region, only to be cleared later. Police scrolled through documents of Scannavino's Saude e Alegria nonprofit for weeks. Scannavino received anonymous threats, and his car was set on fire.

But Bolsonaro's comments helped DiCaprio take notice of Scannavino's work and decide to sponsor his work through Re:wild, a nonprofit conservation group that the actor helped found. Their partnership has already lasted five years, the Brazilian activist said.

"When the accusations emerged, DiCaprio came out to say he was not funding us, but added we deserved his support after he saw our work," Scannavino told The Associated Press in a phone interview. "I've never been with him or spoken to him. But he...

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