Ruth Machado dos Santos, a public servant, is one of the targets of a Federal Police operation that is investigating the possible leaking of confidential information related to ministers of Brazil's Supreme Federal Court (STF). As a result of her involvement, the STF has mandated that she wear an electronic ankle bracelet and cancelled her passport. The investigation is ongoing, hinting at systemic issues within the Federal Revenue system where unauthorized access to sensitive data has occurred.

In a statement, the STF disclosed that initial findings indicated numerous unauthorized accesses to the Federal Revenue's systems, followed by the leaking of confidential information concerning the ministers and their families. The STF emphasized that no functional justifications were found for these unauthorized inquiries into the system, which raises significant questions about data security and accountability in governmental institutions.

Machado was subject to a search and seizure warrant executed in Guarujá, São Paulo, on Tuesday, which was part of a broader operation that also involved simultaneous warrants in other Brazilian cities including São José do Rio Preto, Salvador, and Rio de Janeiro. Having joined the public sector through a competitive examination in 1994, she currently works as a social security technician, making the case especially concerning amid growing concerns over public sector transparency and the protection of sensitive information.