Ítalo Francisco Mendes Barbiot was charged with three extortions and sending and possessing an explosive substance without authorization. According to the Public Ministry, he demanded up to R$3.5 million in bitcoin from victims of Itaim Bibi and Jardim Europa.
By Bruno Tavares, Paola Patriarca, TV Globo and g1 SP
The MPSP denounced Ítalo Francisco Mendes Barbiot for extortion and possession of explosives. He is accused of threatening residents of upscale areas of São Paulo with letters.
The crimes occurred between September 18 and October 2, 2026. The correspondence contained substances that tested positive for the C4 explosive chemical group.
To hide his identity, the accused used data from third parties and public networks. Security cameras and transportation records helped police identify the suspect.
In testimony, Ítalo confessed to sending the letters, claiming to act as a "social engineer". The Public Prosecutor's Office requested that the defendant's preventive detention be maintained in court.
The São Paulo Public Ministry (MPSP) charged Ítalo Francisco Mendes Barbiot, aged 42, with three crimes of extortion and for supplying, transporting and possessing an explosive substance without authorization. He is accused of sending letters threatening attacks with drones loaded with explosives to residents of high-end condominiums in the capital of São Paulo.
Fantástico showed the case exclusively last Sunday (8). According to the complaint, presented to the Court on November 9, he demanded payments in bitcoin so as not to carry out alleged bombings with drones loaded with explosives.
The document names three victims and the amounts demanded were R$1.7 million, R$3.5 million and R$800 thousand, respectively.
According to the Public Ministry, the crimes occurred between September 18 and October 2, 2026. The letters threatened to hit the windows of the victims' homes with drones equipped with C4 explosives and dynamite, with the aim of causing the structures to collapse.
In addition to the threats, the envelopes contained solid, pasty portions of a gray chemical substance, packed in plastic packaging and identified in the correspondence as samples of C4 military explosive.
According to the complaint, the material was subjected to tests by the Specialized Anti-Bomb Unit of the Special Reaction Group (GER), which showed a positive result for the chemical group nitroesters and nitramines, which include compounds such as C4, dynamite and PETN.
How the suspect would have organized the scheme
The Public Prosecutor's Office claims that Ítalo used knowledge in the area of information technology to plan the extortions and make their identification difficult.
According to the complaint, he researched public and property information about the targets on the internet and on the São Paulo City Hall website. He would also have used public Wi-Fi networks, email accounts and third-party personal data to disguise his identity.
One of the connections was made at Shopping Cidade São Paulo, on Avenida Paulista. According to the document, the suspect used third-party data to access the establishment's wireless network.
On September 25, he went to a post office in Vila Mariana, in the South Zone, where he bought 130 special stamps and another 130 regular ones. The acquisition cost R$344.50 and was paid in cash.
To avoid being recognized, he wore a cap and sunglasses. Then, he walked to the Ana Rosa Metro station and paid the ticket using a QR Code generated by Autopass, linked to his CPF and cell phone.
Stamp purchase records, security footage and transportation data helped investigators identify the suspect.
Letters reached three victims
According to the complaint, one of the victims received one of the pieces of mail on October 2, around 2 pm, in Itaim Bibi. The letter provided information about his routine at BTG bank and demanded R$1.7 million in bitcoin.
Another resident of Jardim Europa also received a letter threatening drone attacks and demanding R$3.5 million.
One victim, also in Itaim Bibi, was the recipient of a letter demanding R$800,000 in cryptocurrency. Although the envelope was delivered on October 2nd, she only became aware of its contents on the 26th of that month.
The Public Prosecutor's Office claims that the extortions were carried out even without payment of the required amounts. The complaint cites Precedent 96 of the Superior Court of Justice (STJ), according to which the crime of extortion is consummated regardless of obtaining an undue advantage.
Suspect confessed to sending the letters
During interrogation with the Civil Police, on October 30, Ítalo confessed to having sent correspondence intended for residents of upscale regions of São Paulo.
According to the complaint, he claimed to act as a "social engineer" and said he practiced a type of "social justice" as a form of economic subsistence.
The suspect also confirmed that he had researched the victims' addresses on the internet and on the City Hall website, purchased a printer to produce the letters and purchased postage stamps. He also admitted to having worn a cap and glasses to make his identification difficult and accessing public Wi-Fi networks with third-party data.
Despite the confession, he denied that there were explosives in the envelopes. He said that the material sent would be "clay" purchased on the Mercado Livre platform.
The complaint states that his statements are consistent with Postal Service records, security images and telematic connection data gathered during the investigation.
MP calls for maintenance of preventive detention
Prosecutor Cassio Roberto Conserino asked the Court to maintain Ítalo's preventive detention, ordered on November 1st.
The Public Prosecutor's Office argues that the suspect presents a risk of reoffending, highlighting that he purchased enough postal material to send more than 130 pieces of mail and that he admitted to extortion as a habitual means of subsistence.
The prosecution also points out risks to the investigation, as there is still digital evidence pending analysis. The document cites the accused's knowledge of cyber technology and cloud data concealment techniques.
Another argument presented is the risk of flight. According to the Public Ministry, Ítalo does not have a permanent residence in the region, lived in collective accommodation and had a valid passport when he was arrested.
The prosecutor's office also reported that it did not offer a Criminal Non-Prosecution Agreement (ANPP), considering that the legal requirements were not met given the seriousness of the threats.
Ítalo was charged with three crimes of extortion, provided for in article 158 of the Penal Code, and article 253, which deals with the supply, transport or possession of an explosive substance without a license from the competent authority.
The Public Prosecutor's Office also asked the Court to set a minimum amount of compensation for moral damages to the victims, considering the seriousness of the threats and the panic caused to them and their families.
The complaint was presented to the 30th Criminal Court of the District of São Paulo. The presentation of the complaint does not mean that the accused has been convicted.
