Minister Alexandre de Moraes, of the Federal Supreme Court (STF), ordered the seizure of the cell phone of Eduardo Tagliaferro, former advisor to the minister in the sector of the Superior Electoral Court (TSE) responsible for monitoring misinformation on social media.
The Federal Police (PF) followed the minister’s order after Tagliaferro gave testimony this Thursday (22) to the delegates who are conducting the investigation that is looking into the leaking of conversations that formed the basis for the newspaper’s reports. S. Paulo Newspaper. However, according to investigators, he refused to hand over the device.
Last week, news reports accused the minister of using “unofficial means” to order the production of information to investigate allies of former president Jair Bolsonaro during the 2022 elections, a period in which Moraes was president of the TSE. After the disclosure, the minister said that all procedures were official and regular.
By order of Alexandre de Moraes, the Federal Police is investigating the leak of conversations between Tagliaferro, who was responsible for the Special Advisory Office for Combating Disinformation (AEED) during the minister’s administration, and Airton Vieira, Moraes’ assistant judge. Tagliaferro was responsible for producing the reports.
In May last year, the former aide was arrested for domestic violence. After his arrest, he was fired by the minister.
According to investigations, the cell phone remained in the custody of the São Paulo Civil Police until the 15th of the same month, when Tagliaferro was released and the device was returned.
In the decision justifying the seizure of his former advisor, Moraes says that the data contained on the cell phone is relevant to the investigation and is of public interest.
“In the present case, the requirements are fully met, as it is clear that there is a need for a personal search measure to investigate the leaking of confidential information and documents, with the aim of attributing and/or insinuating the practice of illegal acts by members of this Supreme Court”, justified Moraes.
Defense
Wanted by Brazil Agencylawyer Eduardo Kuntz said that Tagliaferro is in the position of witness and it is not common for objects to be seized in this capacity.
“Another situation in which abuse of authority and excess of power are obvious,” he said.
