Brazilian creates AI tool that detects signs of corruption

In a remarkable step forward for public transparency in Brazil, developer Bruno César has created an artificial intelligence tool that connects dozens of open databases to identify suspicious patterns of corruption, based on information such as the CPF of politicians and the CNPJ of companies.

The innovation, revealed in a thread on X (see full below), highlights alleged financial irregularities amounting to millions of reais, exposing possible inconsistencies in public spending ranging from ghost employees to the targeting of parliamentary amendments.

So, apparently if you connect all the open databases in Brazil, you can detect corruption based on the CPF of politicians

I've built a business and I don't know what to do with it, I don't want to go into the ditch pic.twitter.com/606NFsxPtK

- Bruno César - br/acc (@brunoclz) February 21, 2026

The tool, built by César - who works as a general manager at Sphere Labs and has experience in institutions such as BTG Pactual - uses cross-referenced data from sources such as the Transparency Portal, Receita Federal, CVM, TSE and IBGE, among others.

In all, more than 70 public databases are integrated into a system that allows quick queries and detection of signs of corruption. “If you connect all the open databases in Brazil, you can detect corruption based on the CPF of politicians,” said César in his initial publication, which quickly went viral, accumulating millions of views and thousands of interactions.

One of the practical examples shared by César reveals a “total exposure” of R$ 89.2 million in irregularities, identified in 11 critical, high and medium cases, based on 16 data sources. Highlights include:

• Self-directing splicesR$ 47 million in public funds allegedly directed in an irregular manner.
• 34 ghost employeesCross-referencing between RAIS and municipal employees shows 34 people employed simultaneously by a private company (ABC Construções) and the Santo André public service, with an estimated annual cost of R$ 2.4 million.
• Ghost school receiving funds: R$ 800,000 allocated to a non-existent institution.
• Closed donation circuit for SUSR$ 132 million plus R$ 150 thousand in suspicious transfers.

These patterns, labeled “critical” with probabilities above 90%, are generated by algorithms that analyze relationships in graphs, revealing duplicates such as “RAIS Empresa x Folha Municipal = Duplo Vínculo”. The tool not only detects, but quantifies the financial impact, offering a clear view of how public resources may be being misappropriated.

The revelation generated immediate reactions on the web. Federal deputy Kim Kataguiri (SP) expressed public interest, commenting: “I'm interested”. Other users highlighted the disruptive potential, with memes and warnings about the personal risks involved.

César himself joked: “Let it be clear here, I love my life very much and I would never commit suicide,” alluding to the dangers of exposing corruption in Brazil. He pondered making the project open source, but warned of the need for powerful servers to deal with the complexity of the data.

This initiative echoes a larger movement for digital sovereignty and transparency, aligned with growing criticism against state bloat and impunity. In the Brazilian context, where scandals such as Mensalão and Lava Jato have exposed billion-dollar corruption networks, tools like this represent a powerful weapon in the hands of citizens and journalists.

In a way, the state is already accustomed to using data cross-checking to detect people's possible illegal activities and pursue criminals, for example. Today, with the advance of technology, AIs and tools like this, it's clear that even an ordinary citizen will be able to investigate their own government with a few clicks.

In an update on the subject, César said which was modifying product details to avoid legal problems. His idea is to replace words like “corruption” and “suspect” with a risk score. “With that finalized, I'm going to go through lawyers to make it open-source.”

In addition, the developer said that his tool is not about defending or attacking a specific political camp, but about solving problems through technology that institutions can't (or won't). “Transparency, open data, civic tools. Made by people who are tired of waiting,” he said.

For those seeking greater autonomy from the state, innovations like this reinforce the importance of open data and AI in the fight against public opacity. It remains to be seen whether authorities like the TCU or CGU will adopt similar technologies - or whether they will try to regulate them to preserve the status quo.