Brazil: Former President Jair Bolsonaro's Son, Carlos Bolsonaro Under Investigation for Alleged Spying

Brazil federal police conducted searches on Monday at properties associated with Carlos Bolsonaro, former President Jair Bolsonaro son, as part of an investigation into suspected illegal spying on political opponents during his father's presidency.

Carlos Bolsonaro, a city councilor in Rio de Janeiro, is already under investigation by the Supreme Court for allegedly operating a fake news factory from within the presidential palace, Reuters reports.

The search of Carlos Bolsonaro's properties represents a significant development in the ongoing spy probe, reaching into the inner circle of the Bolsonaro family.

The former president, already deemed politically ineligible until 2030 due to actions during his unsuccessful re-election bid in 2022, faces multiple legal challenges that may lead to imprisonment.

Unveiling the Scandal

The scandal surfaced last Thursday when Brazil's Supreme Court disclosed documents accusing the country's intelligence agency, Abin, of conducting surveillance on key political and judicial figures critical of the former president.

Targets of the alleged illegal eavesdropping included three Supreme Court justices and a speaker of Brazil's lower house of Congress.

Meanwhile, Brazil police searched the home and offices of Alexandre Ramagem, the former head of Abin and a close ally of Jair Bolsonaro on Thursday, according to BBC.

The investigation intensified on Monday when officers arrived at a beach house where the former president was staying with his sons. Reports suggest Jair Bolsonaro was on a fishing trip with his sons when the police arrived.

This recent probe adds to Jair Bolsonaro's legal troubles, including an eight-year ban from running for office due to baseless claims against Brazil's electronic voting system.

Brazil Intel Allegedly Uses Surveillance Software

Police suspect that Abin, under Ramagem's leadership, used a software called FirstMile, developed by Israeli company Cognyte, to monitor targets and public authorities, creating false narratives, The Leader noted.

According to Supreme Court documents, the software enables the geolocation of mobile phones, with over 60,500 users identified between 2019 and 2021.

O Globo, the media outlet that broke the story in May, reported that the Brazil intel agents used the software to monitor political figures and journalists.

Monday's police operation aimed to advance the political aspect of the investigation, identifying recipients and beneficiaries of illegally produced information.

In a video broadcast on social media, Jair Bolsonaro and his sons, including Carlos Bolsonaro, defended Ramagem and criticized the investigation.

The former president dismissed the idea of a parallel intelligence unit as "fantastical."

Reports suggest ties between Ramagem and the Bolsonaro family date back to the 2018 presidential campaign.

In a March 2020 TV interview, Gustavo Bebianno, a former key aide to the president, claimed that Carlos Bolsonaro discussed creating a parallel intelligence unit within Abin.

Bebianno advised against such actions but, less than two weeks after the interview died suddenly from a heart attack.

Brazil authorities reportedly seized a computer belonging to Abin at one of the addresses mentioned in the search warrants.

The agency's press department is investigating the claim, according to reports.

Carlos Bolsonaro, Jair Bolsonaro son, has previously denied any wrongdoing and has not commented on the recent police operation.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Bert Hoover

WATCH: Brazil spy probe reaches Jair Bolsonaro's son - From Reuters