• News
  • Life
  • TV & Film
  • Beauty
  • Style
  • Home
  • News
    • Celebrity
    • Entertainment
    • Politics
    • Royal Family
  • Life
    • Animals
    • Food & Drink
    • Women's Health
    • Mental Health
    • Sex & Relationships
    • Travel
    • Real Life
  • TV & Film
    • True Crime
    • Documentaries
    • Netflix
    • BBC
    • ITV
    • Tyla Recommends
  • Beauty
    • Hair
    • Make-up
    • Skincare
  • Style
    • Home
    • Fashion
    • Shopping
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • LADbible
  • UNILAD
  • SPORTbible
  • GAMINGbible
  • UNILAD Tech
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
TikTok
Submit Your Content
Multimillionaire socialite who ‘went missing’ two years ago was allegedly being held hostage by own chauffeur

Home> News> Crime

Published 17:27 30 Apr 2024 GMT+1

Multimillionaire socialite who ‘went missing’ two years ago was allegedly being held hostage by own chauffeur

Bizarrely, her captor hasn't been arrested but 'must stay 250ft away' from her

Kya Buller

Kya Buller

It has been revealed that an 88-year-old multi millionaire who was held captive for two years suffered at the hands of her very own driver.

Regina Gonçalves is finally free after sneaking past her captor, 53-year-old José Chaves, by sneaking out of the back door in January this year.

Regina was being held captive in her own home in Copacabana, Brazil.

The socialite has described how her ex-driver José kept her apart from family for two years.

How she escaped her captor

Her bizarre story, which she shared to Folha de São Paulo newspaper, quotes her as saying: "I got up, picked up my bag and walked out the back door. He wanted to follow, but I walked faster than him."

Advert

It has since emerged that José hasn't been arrested, but must stay 250ft away from Regina at all times.

Regina has now returned to her apartment in which she was previously held.

Regina's staggering wealth

Her wealth can be traced back to her marriage to Nestor Gonçalves, the owner of card-making company Copag.

Advert

Regina Gonçalves (left) pictured with friend Narcisa Tamborindeguy. (Instagram/@narcisat)
Regina Gonçalves (left) pictured with friend Narcisa Tamborindeguy. (Instagram/@narcisat)

The wedded couple didn't have children, and so Regina went on to inherit his fortune - valued at a staggering $500 million.

Regina has claimed that José remains in control of her assets, and that during her captivity he sold off her $1.9 million collection of jewellery, sold a mansion in São Conrado below market value, and left her bank account empty.

As for how the alarm was raised, Regina had a reputation for extravagant parties, but they came to an abrupt end in May 2022.

Advert

The police department in Rio de Janiero then received a call that she was missing, made anonymously.

Reportedly, nobody heard from Regina directly, and José went on to reply on her behalf and claimed she was unwell.

'Coerced, oppressed and humiliated in private prison'

There have been reports that Regina married José in 2021 but Regina has denied this.

Advert

She stated: "He was never my husband, he was a chauffeur. I am the widow of the great businessman Nestor Gonçalves."

It has also come to light that family members did attempt to help Regina.

Her nephew, Álvaro O’Hara, made an attempt to report his concerns to law enforcement after he received a note from her 'begging for help', but was stopped after one of José’s ‘henchmen’ followed him to the police station.

He also claims there have been three attempts on his life.

Advert

He concluded: "The only reason I wasn’t killed was because one of the condominium security guards thought the movement was strange, passed by on a motorcycle, honked the horn, pressed the bell and the guy ran away scared.

"My aunt lived coerced, oppressed and humiliated in private prison. She suffered all types of psychological and physical violence."

Ultimately, Regina's family claim José abused her both domestically and psychologically.

The have also claimed José was drugging her, which led to her agreeing that José could assume guardianship and legal representation over her in the event she became mentally incapable.

Featured Image Credit: Reprodução/Fantástico / Instagram/@narcisat

Topics: Crime, World News

Kya Buller
Kya Buller

Kya is a Journalist at Tyla. She loves covering issues surrounding identity, gender, sex and relationships, and mental health. Contact: [email protected]

X

@kyajbuller

Advert

Advert

Advert

Choose your content:

a day ago
  • OceanGateOceanGate
    a day ago

    Billionaire planning trip to Titanic wreckage two years after Oceangate disaster

    A billionaire whose 'name you would recognise' is reportedly gearing up to journey to the Titanic wreckage

    News
  • Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty ImagesAl Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images
    a day ago

    People think the gold in Donald Trump’s new White House renovations might not be real

    One social media user claimed some of the objects were 'probably just spray-painted gold'

    News
  • Kenny Holston-Pool/Getty ImagesKenny Holston-Pool/Getty Images
    a day ago

    Donald Trump has revoked Kamala Harris’ Secret Service protection

    The news comes despite former President Joe Biden quietly extending it before exiting office

    News
  • Scott Olson/Getty ImagesScott Olson/Getty Images
    a day ago

    JD Vance fuels outrage after 'disgraceful' driving act in an attempt to avoid protesters

    A video of the American Vice President's motorcade attempting to avoid protestors in Wisconsin is circulating online

    News
  • Haunting footage shows final moments of woman who went missing from cruise ship 27 years ago
  • Billionaire planning trip to Titanic wreckage two years after Oceangate disaster
  • Missing boy from Netflix series Unsolved Mysteries finally found after vanishing seven years ago
  • What missing girl said to hunter after being spotted in wilderness three years after vanishing