Brazil’s former intelligence boss investigated in probe of alleged political spying, official says

By DIANE JEANTET
Associated Press

RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Brazil’s federal police are investigating the former head of the nation’s intelligence agency as part of a probe into alleged spying on political opponents under former President Jair Bolsonaro. An officer with knowledge of the operations has told The Associated Press that Alexandre Ramagem was among those targeted by the 21 search warrants police served on Thursday morning. The officer was speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not allowed to comment publicly on the case. Police say they are investigating an “organized crime” group within the intelligence service, which “used tools and services of the state intelligence agency for illicit actions, producing information for political and media use, to obtain personal benefits and interfere with police investigations.”