FBI tracked Michael Cohen's phones with controversial device

Trump. They also got it’s often closest unknown to the permission to press and shows the strongest public until the New Cohen’s thumb to the signal. Police can determine York Civil Liberties phones or hold them up the location of Union forced the disclosure to his face to unlock a phone without the of records showing them. user even making a call the NYPD used the devices

But it was the or sending a text message. more than 1,000 agency’s use of cell-site Some even allow times since 2008. The technology that stood law enforcement to listen organization is pushing out amid nearly 900 in on conversations a bill that would require pages of documents or see text messages as the department to regularly from the Cohen raids. they’re being sent and disclose information

Civil liberties and r ecei ved. about its use of the privacy groups have “They’re very dangerous devi ces. been objecting to the devices in that That included cases suitcase-sized devices, they intercept all cellular in which the technology sometimes known as communications in helped catch suspects StingRays or Hailstorms, the area,” said Adam in kidnappings, which act like Scott Wandt, a lawyer rapes, robberies, assaults a cell tower and often and professor at the and murders. It connect to cellphones John Jay College of has even helped find NEW YORK (AP) — Agents using a Triggerfish locate Cohen’s phones, other than the person Criminal Justice in New missing people. But Michael Cohen, meet cell-site simulator not to intercept his being tracked. Police York City. defense lawyers have the Triggerfish. tracked the whereabouts calls or text messages. departments and federal The government said also fought to limit the

Search warrant of Cohen’s two The raid happened the agencies have been it did not want Cohen use of evidence collected documents made public iPhones to a pair of next day. using them in relative notified of its high-tech with the devices. Tuesday show the rooms a floor apart at Separately, the secrecy for nearly three efforts to track his “Any time law enforcement FBI used highly secretive the Manhattan hotel agency obtained logs of decades. The earliest communications because gets to operate and controversial where he and his family the numbers Cohen was references online date it had reason to in complete secrecy cellphone sweeping had taken up residence calling and texting, and to 1991. believe that would lead and there’s little technology to zero-in while their reams of location data The technology, to evidence tampering to no oversight and on President Donald apartment was being — including for the originally developed for or destruction, witness with no ability for defense Trump’s former personal renovated, according to time period just before the military, can pull intimidation or other attorneys to challenge lawyer when the documents. the 2016 presidential data from a target’s actions that would “seriously it in a court of agents raided his New The FBI said in its election, when he negotiated devices — but also from jeopardize an law, you run into significant York City home, hotel April 8, 2018 warrant hush-money payments unwitting people whose ongoing investigation.” problems,”said room and office last application that it was for women alleging phones connect to the In New York, use of Legal Aid lawyer year. only using the device to they had sex with phony cell tower because the technology was virtually Jerome Greco. Facebook to overhaul ad targeting to prevent discrimination