Former School Counselor Hid Cameras in Boys’ Bathroom

A former counselor at a private school in Riverside County pleaded guilty today to possessing child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and placing a hidden camera inside bathrooms to film boys using the toilet and showers.

Matthew Daniel Johnson, 34, of Bryan, Texas, pleaded guilty to one count of production of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography. He was remanded into federal custody after he pleaded guilty...

During the search of his residence, Johnson admitted to law enforcement that he had hidden a pen-shaped recording device in a toilet paper holder inside of a school bathroom, across the hall from his office as a school counselor at La Sierra Academy in Riverside. more

NB: Spycam Detection Training is available.

Landlord's Son Plants Spycam - Gets Door Lock Code from Building Camera

According to court documents, the man was accused of attempting to, or successfully entering, a woman’s apartment on 64 occasions... The victim, a woman in her 20s, lived in a one-room apartment owned by the perpetrator's father.

The man tried to break into the apartment by entering random number combinations into the apartment’s electronic lock 26 times. After these failed attempts, he discovered the passcode by watching CCTV footage from the building. He then entered the victim’s home 38 times and installed a spycam to film the victim for sexual purposes...

An appeals court upheld a two-year and six-month prison term, suspended for four years, for a 48-year-old man convicted of illegally breaking into a woman’s apartment numerous times and installing a spy camera for sexual purposes. more

Spy Camera Sign Seen in My Travels

 

Hobart, Tasmania

Doc Boners: Recording Patients with Hidden Cameras

CA - An email sent to patients of a California chiropractic clinic informed them that a hidden camera was found inside an office bathroom and a chiropractor was arrested, according to a new lawsuit.

Dr. Nicholas Vanderhyde, 40, who was arrested in June, is accused of “strategically” hiding the camera in a cabinet to record patients, including children, and their families undressing at The Joint Chiropractic’s office in Valencia, a lawsuit filed in California Superior Court in Los Angeles County says...

According to the complaint, The Joint Chiropractic knew Vanderhyde was a sexual “predator” before another employee discovered the camera, equipped with a battery pack, inside a cabinet. more

Doc Boner II: MA - The owner of a Peabody chiropractic business is facing charges that he recorded nude visitors in his clinic after a hidden spy camera was found in a bathroom last week. more

Doc Boner III: NJ - Chiropractor charged after hidden camera found in bathroom at Springfield, NJ office. more

In other recent spy cam news...

Swim coach accused of hiding camera in changing room and recording teens.

Target shopper sees man record her in dressing room, then starts chasing him.

Girls were secretly recorded at Forever 21 and Six Flags by married couple.

Hidden camera filming through hole in trash can found in hospital bathroom.

‘His cameras are everywhere’

Clients worry as Martinsville security camera installer investigated for spying...
The owner of a Martinsville security company was in court Friday, facing child pornography charges, including images he may have taken himself. Adam R. Anderson, 42, is pleading not guilty to these felony counts. Court documents reveal he’s also under investigation for allegedly spying on clients using his security systems.

Holly Clark signed up for Anderson Video Security and Alarm LLC after her garage was broken into a few years ago. Holly Clark signed up for Anderson Video Security and Alarm LLC after her garage was broken into a few years ago.

After meeting with tech experts, Clark said she believes he may still have ownership and access to the cameras within his company.

“The thing is, it’s not just me,” she said. “He put cameras in at the library, the city pool, and has allegations of child porn. Do you want his cameras at the city pool? His cameras are everywhere.”

Clark said she and other customers are considering a class action lawsuit against Anderson to get sole ownership of the installed security systems. more

App Slammed for Spying at Popular Nightclubs Using 'Hidden Cameras'

A new app has sparked extreme blowback after enabling users to use cameras to watch partiers at trendy nightclubs and bars across San Francisco.

2night, the startup behind the app, had hoped that the service would promote nightlife in the area, allowing users to check livestreams of the bars and clubs to determine if they had the right vibe.

But bargoers were quick to lash out after they learned that they were being recorded without their permission, with some going so far as to liken the service to 'Big Brother.' more

Caught on Spycam: Lawmaker Pours Water into Colleague's Bag

A Republican state legislator in Vermont awkwardly apologized on the House floor on Monday after she was caught on hidden camera repeatedly pouring water into a Democratic colleague’s tote bag. 

State Rep. Mary Morrissey said she was “truly ashamed” of childishly targeting state Rep. Jim Carroll, who dealt with a soaked bag on numerous occasions over the last several months, in what he called “torment.”

“I have given my sincere apology to Jim directly and publicly and will be working towards resolution and restoration through our legislative process,” Morrissey said in front of fellow lawmakers. more

Spy Rock Mystery (probably) Solved.

Last week we reported on a mystery spy rock planted in a suburban neighborhood. No one knew why. This week, there is a likely solution. The same day, about 40 miles away...

On May 20, 2024, at approximately 10:31 p.m., the Glendale Police Department arrested four Colombian national burglary suspects in the Emerald Isle area of Glendale.

During the vehicle search, officers found a video surveillance device with a battery pack charging system camouflaged with leaves. This evidence, combined with the finding of freshly disturbed dirt in a planter in the cul-de-sac, led Glendale detectives to believe that the suspects had strategically placed the camera in the planter. 

This method allowed them to create a sophisticated method to gain a view of residences and know when homeowners would leave.

Officers also located a construction hard hat and a vest, which can be used as a ruse to approach homes with minimal suspicion...During that pursuit, the suspects discarded stolen items, including a WiFi signal jammer to disable home security systems. more

Florida Mother Finds Hidden Cameras After Ex-Boyfriend Moved Out

A concerned mother called the police because she found a small hidden camera in an electrical outlet in her young adult daughter's bathroom. According to the Ocala Police Department, an officer who went to the home to investigate took the small camera from behind the bathroom electrical outlet...Police added that the outlet was directly facing the shower and toilet.

Two days later, police were called to the home again because another camera had been found inside the residence. This time, police say the camera was disguised as a Wi-Fi repeater in the daughter's room.

The woman told police that the router was installed by her ex-boyfriend...who lived with the mother and daughter for a time. more

What TSCM techs know that police don't... "If you find one surveillance device, keep searching."

In other spy cam news...
The Gray's Creek Fire Department fire chief was arrested Thursday after allegedly placing a camera in the fire station's vent. more

A 39-year-old man has been arrested after officials with the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office say he used a hidden camera disguised as a "phone charger" to spy live on an alleged victim. We’re told years went by before she noticed the live feed on his phone. “Perverts and sick people are going to be creative and try to find a way to invade your privacy,” Sheriff Marco Lopez said... He’s encouraging people to check for hidden cameras in their homes, vacation homes, and hotel rooms. more

Recent Spycam News - Disturbing Trend

• Washougal man charged with voyeurism, accused of recording women in bathroom.
Police say he hid cellphone in home he was hired to clean. more

• A voyeurism suspect returned to court Monday after admitting to planting a phone inside a bathroom at a Northern Kentucky medical facility and secretly recording victims in bathrooms for “years” for the “thrill,” police records show. more

• Victoria police have released a surveillance photo of a man suspected of taking pictures or video of a woman using a change room at a downtown store Wednesday afternoon. The suspect, who fled when confronted by the staff member, is described as having thick black hair and wearing a plaid jacket with a red-and-yellow logo on the back. more

• Jail for serial voyeur who took upskirt photos, videos of over 100 women in 10 years. more

• Cruise Ship Worker Accused of Hiding Cameras in Bathrooms to Spy on Guests more

• A Traverse City restaurant owner accused of hiding a camera in the women's bathroom of his business has pleaded no contest to all charges against him, including three felonies...A Traverse City police officer got in touch with the employee, and she said she believed there was a potential spy camera installed in a wall outlet in the women's bathroom at the business. more

• Police arrested a Harrisburg man they said allegedly took videos of various people in bathrooms at Arkansas State University...Police said upon examination of the devices, officers were about to find digital evidence of video voyeurism recorded in restrooms at Arkansas State University with at least 34 victims being recorded. more

• A new report gives detail on an 18-year-old who was arrested on a video voyeurism charge Wednesday after a video went viral showing customers in a Jacksonville Marshalls store confronting the teen they said was recording women in the restroom...Titus McDonell, 18, told police while he was detained in the same shopping center where the incident occurred a week prior that he was "just bored that day." more

Notice a trend? ...bathrooms... You don't have to be a victim. Click here... Learn how to spot spycams.

Spycam in Aircraft Toilet - Who's to Blame?

A law firm tried to blame a 9-year-old girl for not noticing an iPhone camera a former American Airlines flight attendant secretly taped to a toilet seat.

American Airlines has replaced the law firm that told a judge a 9-year-old girl was negligent in not noticing there was a camera phone taped to the seat in an airplane lavatory.

The change in lawyers came after Wilson Elser said in a court document that any harm to the girl could be blamed on her “fault and negligence” for using the lavatory, “which she knew or should have known contained a visible and illuminated recording device.” 

An airline spokesperson confirmed Friday that the Wilson Elser law firm is no longer defending American in a lawsuit filed by the girl’s family.

A former American flight attendant is accused of luring girls to use the lavatory after taping his iPhone to the toilet seat and explaining that the seat was broken. Estes Carter Thompson III, who was fired by American, pleaded not guilty this week to attempted sexual exploitation of children and possession of images of child sexual abuse. more

Hikvision Takes A Hike

Chinese surveillance industry giant Hikvision has suspended operations in Russia, joining the ranks of over 1,000 companies that have scaled back business in the country since Russian President Vladimir Putin's 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

Hikvision's Russian website is currently offline, a development flagged by Russian security systems adviser Videoglaz on the social media platform Telegram last week. The precise date operations ceased is unclear...

Hikvision, along with its budget brand HiWatch, comprised some 30 percent of Russia's surveillance camera market in 2021, according to Russian media agency RSpectr. more

A Spycam Rocks Her World

CA - A Chino Hills woman was disturbed to learn that a camera disguised as a rock had been planted outside of her home last week.

The camera was planted in the ground across the street from her house on Glen Ridge Drive, leaving her with fear that she's being watched by someone. 

"I think it's really strange. I think it's really scary, because you're supposed to feel safe in your own home and your neighborhood," the woman, who wished not to be identified, said. "But, something like that happens and you really don't know anymore, times have changed." more

Recent Spycam News

• Hasbro Children’s Hospital Employee Arrested for Video Voyeurism... they said they found a hidden camera in an employee bathroom. more
• Anderson High School student arrested, charged with voyeurism more (video)

• Stuart landlord ordered to prison for installing hidden cameras to spy on 12-year-old girl... cameras they said he hid in the electric outlets of her bedroom more

• Man arrested for video voyeurism in Library West restroom more

• Man accused of secretly photographing woman in Fairfield Township Walmart more

• Jacksonville police seeking suspect who secretly recorded women in bathroom... store surveillance footage, along with video of the confrontation, provided a suspect description. more

• ‘Hidden Spy Camera’: Arizona High School Teacher Allegedly Recorded Students Changing Clothes... the teenager uncovered a charger plugged into the wall which was actually a “hidden spy camera,” Students went on to discover two more, one of which doubled as a clock on the wall. more

• Can you guess which of these everyday objects is actually a spy cam? Hidden spy cameras are still available all over Amazon despite the firm being sued over the gadgets. more

Hamas Hacked Settlement Cameras Prior to 10/7

Hamas broke into dozens of cameras in the surrounding settlements before October 7

IDF's Military Intelligence Directorate knew for some time that ISF managed to break into some civilian security cameras in Israel and collect information through them. Only when the soldiers investigated MID's large underground server rooms did the IDF discover that dozens of cameras had been hacked, some of which were inside the surrounding kibbutzim. more

Now, will you change your cameras' default passwords?

Airbnb Bans Indoor Surveillance Cameras

Airbnb said Monday that it’s banning the use of indoor security cameras in listings on its site around the world by the end of next month. The San Francisco-based online rental platform said it is seeking to “simplify” its security-camera policy while prioritizing privacy.

“These changes were made in consultation with our guests, Hosts and privacy experts, and we’ll continue to seek feedback to help ensure our policies work for our global community,” Juniper Downs, Airbnb’s head of community policy and partnerships, said in a prepared statement.

Under the new policy, hosts will still be allowed to use doorbell cameras and noise-decibel monitors, which are only allowed in common spaces, as long as the location and presence of the devices are disclosed. more

You are still on your own to find the covert spycams...

• https://counterespionage.com/what-is-tscm/spy-camera-detection/

• https://counterespionage.com/spy-camera-detectors/

Cruise Ship Employee Hid Cameras in Bathrooms to Spy

A Royal Caribbean cruise ship worker was arrested Sunday in Fort Lauderdale after admitting to planting hidden cameras in guest bathrooms to spy on unsuspecting women and children for months, federal officials say.

Arvin Joseph Mirasol is facing federal production and possession of child porn charges. The 34-year-old also has six counts of video voyeurism, all third-degree felonies, state court records show...Mirasol also admitted to entering rooms and hiding under the bed to record people naked...He remains in Broward jail as of Tuesday afternoon. more

You don't have to be a victim of spycamers. Learn how.

'Big brother' Satellite Set to Launch in 2025

'Big brother' satellite capable of zooming in on ANYONE, anywhere from space is set to launch in 2025 - and privacy experts say 'we should definitely be worried'

Privacy experts are sounding the alarm on a new satellite capable of spying on your every move that is set to launch in 2025.

The satellite, created by startup company Albedo, is so high quality it can zoom in on people or license plates from space, raising concerns among expert that it will create a 'big brother is always watching' scenario.

Albedo claims the satellite won't have facial recognition software but doesn't mention that it will refrain from imaging people or protecting people's privacy. more

Man Charged for Putting 'SPY' Cameras in Seattle Expedia HQ Bathrooms

A 42-year-old Lynnwood man is facing multiple felony charges for allegedly putting hidden “spy” cameras in two bathrooms at the Expedia Group headquarters in Seattle...

According to charging documents, Vargas-Fernandez placed cameras under the sink aimed at the toilet in two all-gender bathrooms at the Expedia office building between Dec. 4, 2023, and Jan. 11, 2024. Investigators said at least 10 victims were seen in the illegal footage and believe “several more victims have yet to be discovered.”

When officers searched Vargas-Fernandez’s apartment after his arrest, they found at least “33 various spy cameras carrying from full, partial, no concealment,” according to court documents. Investigators also found at least 22 SD cards and six hard drives with “at least 20 terabytes of storage.” more  video

Corporate security directors, there is an innovative, preemptive, low-cost solution...
Spy Camera Detection Training for your security and facilities personnel. It includes a Recording in the Workplace Policy and Inspection Log. Training, a Policy and Inspection Log with show your due diligence in court should an incident arise.

Device Camera's Ambient Light Sensors Can Spy

The ambient light sensors responsible for smart devices’ brightness adjustments can capture images of touch interactions like swiping and tapping for hackers...

Unlike cameras, though, apps are not required to ask for permission to use these sensors. In a surprising discovery, researchers from MIT’s Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL) uncovered that ambient light sensors are vulnerable to privacy threats when embedded on a smart device’s screen... An open-access paper on this work was published in Science Advances.

“This work turns your device's ambient light sensor and screen into a camera! Ambient light sensors are tiny devices deployed in almost all portable devices and screens that surround us in our daily lives,” says Princeton University professor Felix Heide, who was not involved with the paper. “As such, the authors highlight a privacy threat that affects a comprehensive class of devices and has been overlooked so far.” more  Interesting, but no need for the average person to worry.