BELEM, Brazil — 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 coordinator of a nonprofit organization 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 perpetra

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