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How a Jailbird Con Artist Uncovered a Secret FBI Surveillance Tool
gizmodo.com ^
| Filed to: Stingrays 6/19/15 2:30pm
| Kate Knibbs
Posted on 06/20/2015 8:32:42 AM PDT by ckilmer
7
A convict lawyer, sitting in jail, obsessed with a wacky theory that the government tracked him by sending secret rays into his house... ends up discovering a secret government cell phone tracking program. Sounds like bizarre noir, right? But it’s true.
It happened to Daniel Rigmaiden, who found out that the government had used Stingrays—covert surveillance devices that act like a fake cell phone towers—to catch him running a fake tax return scheme. He’s the guy who brought Stingrays to light. Rigmaiden dug through government documents and discovered that law enforcement all over the country were using these devices, and he did it from his jail cell. Then, he wrote a meticulously researched memo about the secret program that tipped off the American Civil Liberties Union.
WNYC talked to Rigmaiden about how he figured it out. How he doggedly pursued the idea that the government must’ve tracked him in secret, even at the cost of losing his lawyers. He ended up representing himself in court.
The WNYC podcast touches on how the just how secret Stingrays were at the pre-Snowden time—so secret that the FBI made law enforcement dismiss criminal cases rather than risk exposing its use of the secret snooping technology.
It also reveals what happened to Rigmaiden after he uncovered the widespread usage of Stingrays—as part of his tax fraud sentence, he was ordered to perform community service. He wound up at the ACLU, teaching them what he’d learned about the Stingray technology.
TOPICS: Business/Economy; Crime/Corruption; Miscellaneous
KEYWORDS: fbi; gizmodo; stingray; tech; telecommunications
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To: Lurkina.n.Learnin
21
posted on
06/20/2015 9:40:05 AM PDT
by
Gaffer
To: Gaffer
Supposedly, it’s against the law to kill 78 men, women and children.
Cell phone snooping ain’t no thing...comparatively. ..
22
posted on
06/20/2015 9:40:18 AM PDT
by
Vendome
(Don't take life so seriously-you won't live through it anyway-Enjoy Yourself ala Louis Prima)
To: Vendome
What I recall is 82 people, up to 25 children.
23
posted on
06/20/2015 9:41:58 AM PDT
by
Gaffer
To: Vendome
But that number may have included a few ATFs.
24
posted on
06/20/2015 9:42:43 AM PDT
by
Gaffer
To: AFreeBird
25
posted on
06/20/2015 9:43:26 AM PDT
by
Lurker
(Violence is rarely the answer. But when it is it is the only answer.)
To: Gaffer
26
posted on
06/20/2015 9:46:11 AM PDT
by
Vendome
(Don't take life so seriously-you won't live through it anyway-Enjoy Yourself ala Louis Prima)
To: ckilmer
27
posted on
06/20/2015 9:46:27 AM PDT
by
Fiddlstix
(Warning! This Is A Subliminal Tagline! Read it at your own risk!(Presented by TagLines R US))
To: The Great RJ
"Can Orwells Thought Police be far behind?"
Thought crime is already here, only they are called hate crimes particularly hate speech laws. The regular police enforce them.
28
posted on
06/20/2015 9:47:56 AM PDT
by
fella
("As it was before Noah so shall it be again,")
To: Gaffer
Could have been 500, I dunno.
What I do know is watching this gubmint catastrophe on TV sickenend me and why none of the jack booted thugs committed suicide is remarkable
29
posted on
06/20/2015 9:48:20 AM PDT
by
Vendome
(Don't take life so seriously-you won't live through it anyway-Enjoy Yourself ala Louis Prima)
To: Vendome
What two events does the name Lon Horiuchi have connection with ?
30
posted on
06/20/2015 9:49:34 AM PDT
by
Gaffer
To: kiryandil
Why would they arrest them when the compromising information gleaned from their ‘listening’ is worth so much more to those pulling the strings?
And I’m not necessarily referring to those which you named...
The fact that this lawless activity (allegedly) continues speaks volumes.
31
posted on
06/20/2015 9:50:38 AM PDT
by
logi_cal869
(-cynicus-)
To: Gaffer
32
posted on
06/20/2015 9:57:10 AM PDT
by
Vendome
(Don't take life so seriously-you won't live through it anyway-Enjoy Yourself ala Louis Prima)
To: Vendome
He’s the one that sniped Randy’s wife. He was also at Waco.
33
posted on
06/20/2015 9:58:37 AM PDT
by
Gaffer
To: kiryandil
Is the FBI even investigating any IRS lawbreakers?
34
posted on
06/20/2015 10:04:22 AM PDT
by
Jane Austen
(Boycott Mexico)
To: Gaffer
35
posted on
06/20/2015 10:11:47 AM PDT
by
Vendome
(Don't take life so seriously-you won't live through it anyway-Enjoy Yourself ala Louis Prima)
To: Vendome
36
posted on
06/20/2015 10:12:51 AM PDT
by
Gaffer
To: Gaffer
37
posted on
06/20/2015 10:16:59 AM PDT
by
Vendome
(Don't take life so seriously-you won't live through it anyway-Enjoy Yourself ala Louis Prima)
To: Vendome
She drove her pickup back to Florida...
38
posted on
06/20/2015 10:20:05 AM PDT
by
Gaffer
To: Gaffer
Thought it was her half track mind...
Disgusting and gross display of gubmint power.
39
posted on
06/20/2015 10:38:01 AM PDT
by
Vendome
(Don't take life so seriously-you won't live through it anyway-Enjoy Yourself ala Louis Prima)
To: Gaffer
There is a certain segment of law enforcement that has an attitude that if it hasn't been expressly prohibited then it is okay. The other segment of law enforcement won't do that because they don't want to blow their case. A perfect example of this is the use of GPS trackers. A certain organization (FBI) started slapping trackers on anything that moved. That soon spread to DEA and ATF. Then it skipped departments over to HSI (rebranded ICE investigations). Meanwhile other agencies treated trackers with the a more conservative legal respect, getting specific warrants from the appropriate US Attorneys.
Needless to say warrantless trackers got the full smackdown and Stingray is getting it too.
40
posted on
06/20/2015 11:26:09 AM PDT
by
USNBandit
(sarcasm engaged at all times)
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