Bernie Ecclestone's Mother-in-Law Freed Without Ransom After Brazil Kidnapping

The kidnapped mother-in-law of Formula One chief Bernie Ecclestone has been released without any of the $36.5 million (£28 million) ransom being paid, as confirmed by Elisabete Sato of the Sao Paulo police.

Aparecida Schunck, the mother of Ecclestone's wife, Fabiana Flosi, was taken from her home in Sao Paulo 10 days ago, but police have now confirmed she's been freed, as reported by BBC News.

Wong Maye-E/Associated Press

Police reportedly descended upon the property where Schunck, 67, was being held, but no shots were fired before she was freed and two suspects were arrested, per Neal Baker, Yasmin Jeffery and Janet Tappin Coelho of the Sun.

Schunck said of her kidnappers, per the BBC report: "I only ask for these bandits to be jailed so they can't abduct anyone else in Sao Paulo."

Following the abduction of his mother-in-law, Ecclestone was seemingly taking no chances of a similar fate befalling daughters Tamara and Petra, whom TMZ reported were under increased security watch:

According to the Sun, Brazilian authorities tracked Schunck down "by monitoring Whatsapp messages" sent by the suspected kidnappers, who also made the mistake of using their target's credit card, which was tracked by police.

Erick Gabriel of Motorsport.com reported that had the ransom been paid, it would have made the kidnapping "the largest ransom sum in Brazilian history."

Ecclestone, 85, is arguably the most powerful figure in motorsport and one of the biggest figures in sport in general, and he is valued at around $3.1 billion (£2.34 billion).

BBC's Wyre Davies described it as a "rare, successful outcome" that a kidnapping of such a high profile should come to a peaceful conclusion without any payment being made.

The incident unfortunately falls on the eve of the 2016 Rio Olympics, when thousands of the biggest sporting faces in the world will make their way to Brazil for the summer showcase.