On Monday, Brazilian federal police conducted searches on properties associated with Carlos Bolsonaro, the son of former President Jair Bolsonaro, as part of an investigation into suspected illegal surveillance of political adversaries during his father’s presidency, according to two sources.

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

He has consistently denied any wrongdoing and did not immediately respond to requests for comment regarding the recent police operation.

The search of Carlos Bolsonaro’s properties signifies a significant escalation in the rapidly evolving surveillance probe, reaching into Bolsonaro’s inner circle.

The former president, who has been deemed politically ineligible until 2030 due to his actions during the 2022 re-election campaign, is facing multiple legal investigations that could potentially lead to his imprisonment, Reuters reported.

A family spokesman, Fabio Wajngarten, stated on X that Bolsonaro and his sons were not present at their beach house in Angra dos Reis when the police arrived, as they had left for a fishing trip early in the morning.

He also refuted claims that the police seized any of Carlos Bolsonaro’s laptops.

The federal police are investigating allegations of illegal surveillance carried out by the Brazilian Intelligence Agency (Abin) during Bolsonaro’s presidency from 2019 to 2022.

Eight warrants were executed on Monday in Brasilia, Rio de Janeiro, and two other cities to identify “the main recipients and beneficiaries of information illegally produced by Abin through clandestine actions,” as stated in a police release.

Carlos Bolsonaro is now suspected of utilizing data unlawfully collected by Abin, employing an Israeli software called First Mile, which has the capability to track the location of private cellphones, according to a federal police source cited by Reuters.

Written by B.C. Begley