Data extracted from an iCloud backup was instrumental in revealing a $320 million money laundering operation in Brazil, resulting in the detention of multiple influencers and musicians. Here are the specifics.
In October of last year, Brazilian federal police (PF) took into custody accountant Rodrigo Morgado amid an inquiry into purported money laundering and international drug trafficking.
As a component of the operation, detectives accessed Morgado’s iCloud backup, which facilitated the discovery of a different alleged $320 million money laundering scheme and prompted 39 arrest warrants, in addition to 45 search and seizure orders across eight states and the federal district.
Those detained included musicians MC Ryan SP and MC Poze do Rodo, along with two influencers boasting a total of 42 million followers on Instagram.
According to G1, the catalog of alleged offenses from the new inquiry encompasses “illegal betting, underground raffles, international drug trafficking, shell corporations, proxies, cryptocurrency, and cross-border transfers.”
G1 further reports that accountant Rodrigo “had immense faith in iCloud’s security, which ultimately enabled federal police to chart the entire organization.”
Following the new detentions, Brazilian officials have issued another wave of warrants for cloud accounts, including iCloud and Google Drive, in addition to data held on devices collected during the operation.
As a reminder, Apple, similar to other tech firms, routinely adheres to government warrants globally, provided that authorities “abide by applicable laws and statutes when seeking customer information and data.”
The company releases information on its procedures for managing these requests via its Transparency Report hub.