A father and son are facing criminal and securities charges over allegedly fraudulent investments in Native American tribal bonds. The U.S. Attorney’s office announced criminal charges against Jason and John Galanis and five other individuals. In a parallel action, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) charged the same individuals with fraud, alleging that they…

A former police sergeant was found in contempt of court for failing to unlock the encryption on his computers in a child pornography investigation. Computer privacy advocates argue that the former officer, Francis Rawls, should not be forced to unlock the encrypted hard drives and potentially incriminate himself. Federal prosecutors say the hard drives contain…

Previously, we explained that “Stingrays,” a.k.a. cell site simulators, are powerful law enforcement tools that allow police to track mobile phone users’ location and sometimes intercept their data transmissions. We also noted that in some cases, police have used Stingrays to track suspects without a warrant. Fortunately, judges are beginning to crack down on such…

Police across the country are increasingly relying on a controversial surveillance technology to monitor and apprehend suspects. But after recent court rulings, cops are on notice that they must operate within the bounds of the Constitution or risk having vital evidence dismissed. The technology is cell site simulation, accomplished by use of “Stingrays,” named for…