CA - Sheriff Pat Hedges may have had good intentions, but his decision to secretly videotape his subordinates was woefully misguided at best and illegal at worst.
By his own admission, Hedges eavesdropped on sheriff’s employees on two occasions: once as part of a criminal investigation that he declined to elaborate on, and again in connection with a personnel matter last year. (more)
Sunday, September 30, 2007
SpyCam Story #385 - The Accountable Accountant
Australia - Tax accountant Ross Sargent waited until the office was deserted before walking down the corridor with a tiny pinhole spy camera clutched in his hand. Sargent made his way to the women's toilets and carefully installed the camera in the roof of one of the cubicles. He set it to record when it sensed motion.
The camera stayed hidden there for the next 20 months before a maintenance worker found it in October last year.
Sargent, 46, is expected to be jailed this week after recording and storing 1308 video images on his laptop taken from the spy camera. (more)
Update...
Outrage as toilet spy's term cut to two months
A PEEPING Tom accountant who installed a spy camera in a female lavatory and stored more than 1300 images of women and children has had his jail sentence slashed from a maximum of 14 months' jail to just two months. (more)
The camera stayed hidden there for the next 20 months before a maintenance worker found it in October last year.
Sargent, 46, is expected to be jailed this week after recording and storing 1308 video images on his laptop taken from the spy camera. (more)
Update...
Outrage as toilet spy's term cut to two months
A PEEPING Tom accountant who installed a spy camera in a female lavatory and stored more than 1300 images of women and children has had his jail sentence slashed from a maximum of 14 months' jail to just two months. (more)
Bill Bellichick (aka Bill O. Check to some)
NJ - A disgusted Jets season ticket-holder went on the offensive against the New England Patriots over the infamous Videogate scandal.
Princeton lawyer Carl Mayer filed a class-action suit in Newark Federal Court against the New England Patriots and coach Bill Belichick because a video assistant filmed Jets coaches giving defensive signals last month. (more)
Princeton lawyer Carl Mayer filed a class-action suit in Newark Federal Court against the New England Patriots and coach Bill Belichick because a video assistant filmed Jets coaches giving defensive signals last month. (more)
SpyCam Story #384 - Lawrence County (update)
AL - Casting new light on a rural spy mystery, Lawrence County commissioners placed two employees on leave amid allegations they were responsible for a hidden camera that was found inside a courthouse meeting room.
Commissioner Alma Whitlow said county administrators Linda Harville and Karen Harrison didn't deny placing a hidden monitoring system in the commission office without members' knowledge.
The motive behind the bugging was unclear. No charges have been filed.
FBI agents interviewed Harville, Harrison, and four commissioners earlier this month. Aside from the hidden camera, agents seized items including video cassettes, cables and a receiver. (more)
Commissioner Alma Whitlow said county administrators Linda Harville and Karen Harrison didn't deny placing a hidden monitoring system in the commission office without members' knowledge.
The motive behind the bugging was unclear. No charges have been filed.
FBI agents interviewed Harville, Harrison, and four commissioners earlier this month. Aside from the hidden camera, agents seized items including video cassettes, cables and a receiver. (more)
SpyCam Story #383 - HAL Makes House Calls
The ConnectR “Virtual Visiting Robot” is simultaneously an interesting and creepy device. Designed to enable real-time “virtual visits” over the Internet, the robot combines a nanny cam, an internet phone and an RC car. Users set up the robot in their home, and via the internet, control the audio/video camera-equipped robot, moving it around the home, using the video camera to look around, and the speakers to talk to people or pets within the home. (more)(more)
Bugby! or, Tapped By That Tough Guy
UK - A security consultant has come forward to admit he performed surveillance at Newcastle United.
The News of the World says Brian Tough was ordered to TAP PHONES of unhappy managers and players and even take SECRET FILM of England legend Alan Shearer that could be used against him if he tried to leave the club.
Tough revealed how he bugged:
- Kevin Keegan's calls to his wife to see if he was planning to quit as manager
- Sunderland's chairman Bob Murray - to find out secret plans for their new stadium
- The Editor of a local newspaper because he'd run knocking stories on the club, and even
- The butler of 74-year-old Newcastle president Sir John Hall.
In a shattering confession, Tough says: "At times I felt really bad about it, especially when I spied on our own players and senior staff. The players and fans would have gone mad if they had found out what I was up to." ...
Former Newcastle chairman Freddy Shepherd said: "Tough did make me aware of what he had done but I did not condone it. I couldn't control what he did. He didn't work for me. I had nothing to do with bugging anybody." (more)
The News of the World says Brian Tough was ordered to TAP PHONES of unhappy managers and players and even take SECRET FILM of England legend Alan Shearer that could be used against him if he tried to leave the club.
Tough revealed how he bugged:
- Kevin Keegan's calls to his wife to see if he was planning to quit as manager
- Sunderland's chairman Bob Murray - to find out secret plans for their new stadium
- The Editor of a local newspaper because he'd run knocking stories on the club, and even
- The butler of 74-year-old Newcastle president Sir John Hall.
In a shattering confession, Tough says: "At times I felt really bad about it, especially when I spied on our own players and senior staff. The players and fans would have gone mad if they had found out what I was up to." ...
Former Newcastle chairman Freddy Shepherd said: "Tough did make me aware of what he had done but I did not condone it. I couldn't control what he did. He didn't work for me. I had nothing to do with bugging anybody." (more)
USB BUG
Another good reason not to allow laptops into proprietary meetings and conferences..."This is the smallest, high-sensitivity, high gain USB microphone available, and is our most popular choice for court reporters, students, business people, voice recognition purposes, Skype communication, VOIP and Podcasting - anyone that needs to get high quality audio into a computer!
This mic our 'stealthiest' USB microphone!" Windows & MAC
(more)(sample audio)
Thursday, September 27, 2007
McLaren/Ferrari - Zero to Fiasco in Seconds
"With seemingly no end to the espionage saga, it now emerges that F1's governing body earlier this week contributed to the widespread distribution of dozens more McLaren and Ferrari secrets.
A day before releasing the nearly 200 pages of World Motor Sport Council transcripts to the public on Wednesday, the FIA had sent the documents to both teams so that confidential technical and financial information could be redacted.
But when the PDF documents were initially made available on the Internet, it soon became clear that the blackened sections could easily be revealed if copy-pasted into another text editor.
The offending copies were quickly removed from the FIA website and replaced."
(via Ben Moore - Risks Digest 24.83)
A day before releasing the nearly 200 pages of World Motor Sport Council transcripts to the public on Wednesday, the FIA had sent the documents to both teams so that confidential technical and financial information could be redacted.
But when the PDF documents were initially made available on the Internet, it soon became clear that the blackened sections could easily be revealed if copy-pasted into another text editor.
The offending copies were quickly removed from the FIA website and replaced."
(via Ben Moore - Risks Digest 24.83)
Eavesdropping on Co-workers at Airport
NY - A man has been charged with felony eavesdropping and possession of an eavesdropping device after secretly recording his co-workers conversations at Albany International Airport, Albany County sheriff's deputies said.
Karl A. Schroeder, 38, of Old Route 66, works for AvPorts, a private company contracted to run the airport. Deputies said he covertly placed a digital recorder in a staff lounge at the airport and recorded conversations between other employees and management on several occasions this month.
He also recorded conversations in person with a concealed recorder, according to deputies, who said the content of the recordings did not pose a security threat and that Schroeder said he recorded the conversations for personal reasons. (more)
Karl A. Schroeder, 38, of Old Route 66, works for AvPorts, a private company contracted to run the airport. Deputies said he covertly placed a digital recorder in a staff lounge at the airport and recorded conversations between other employees and management on several occasions this month.
He also recorded conversations in person with a concealed recorder, according to deputies, who said the content of the recordings did not pose a security threat and that Schroeder said he recorded the conversations for personal reasons. (more)
Don't puck with "Mr. Hockey" (update)
Gordie Howe has reached a compromise in his lawsuit against a spying neighbour who has been conducting surveillance on the hockey legend's home.
After three hours of closed-door negotiating, Howe told Oakland County Circuit Judge Edward Sosnick he would drop his lawsuit if Lionel and Karen Dorfman stop snooping on him. (more)
After three hours of closed-door negotiating, Howe told Oakland County Circuit Judge Edward Sosnick he would drop his lawsuit if Lionel and Karen Dorfman stop snooping on him. (more)
Cupid Pleads Guilty to Eavesdropping!
Most Cupids stick to stealing hearts, but New York City resident Malik Cupid stole his ex-girlfriend's identity, money and e-mail, the Westchester County District Attorney's Office says.
Cupid, 31, pleaded guilty yesterday in Westchester County Court to one felony count of eavesdropping and one misdemeanor count of attempted eavesdropping.
From May 22 to Oct. 17, 2006, Cupid assumed his ex-girlfriend's identity while she was on active duty with the U.S. Army in Iraq. (more)
Cupid, 31, pleaded guilty yesterday in Westchester County Court to one felony count of eavesdropping and one misdemeanor count of attempted eavesdropping.
From May 22 to Oct. 17, 2006, Cupid assumed his ex-girlfriend's identity while she was on active duty with the U.S. Army in Iraq. (more)
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
"¡Mira. Mira. Consiga sus boletos del cráter y pÃldoras del yoduro del potasio aquÃ!"
According to the Russian daily, Pravda, what landed in Puno, Peru on Saturday August 15 was a North American spy satellite targeting Iran. According to the Russian daily, Russian Military Intelligence Analysts reported that the U.S. spy satellite KH-13 was destroyed in its orbit with its main power generator surviving re-entry and crashing in Peru.
In addition, it was reported that the sicknesses caused in Puno were due to the radiation in the generator.
According to the daily, it would have been impossible for a meteorite to hit the ground, cause a 30 meter-crater and not have been recorded by seismic stations around the world.
[The kicker...] Yesterday, Puno, Peru's Regional Tourism Directorate announced that the area around the crater would be roofed and turned into a tourist attraction for all those that wanted to see the large crater. (more) (video)
Spy King - What are the odds?
The former king of Bulgaria (Simeon Saxe-Coburg-Gotha), who returned to the country after half a century of Communist-imposed exile, was a KGB spy, it has been alleged.
The accusation comes as the country delves through its Communist-era files to discover the identity of former collaborators and informants.
Yane Yanev, the ORLJ leader, alleged that the Saxe-Coburg, who returned to Bulgaria in 1996 amidst scenes of public adulation, was recruited after KGB agents preyed on his weakness for gambling.
The accusations have been rejected by the ex-king... He suggested that the latest allegations were intended to smear him in the run up to local elections. (more)
The accusation comes as the country delves through its Communist-era files to discover the identity of former collaborators and informants.
Yane Yanev, the ORLJ leader, alleged that the Saxe-Coburg, who returned to Bulgaria in 1996 amidst scenes of public adulation, was recruited after KGB agents preyed on his weakness for gambling.
The accusations have been rejected by the ex-king... He suggested that the latest allegations were intended to smear him in the run up to local elections. (more)
SpyCam Story #382 - Lawrence County (update)
Hidden camera found in Lawrence County meeting room
AL - A spy gadget that sounds like something out of a James Bond movie [groan] is raising questions in a rural Alabama county.
A crowd of residents filled the Lawrence County Commission's meeting room Monday to learn more about an FBI probe that uncovered surveillance equipment that reportedly was used to record what went on inside a private office in a courthouse annex.
The FBI confiscated the bug on Sept. 13, and commissioners said they became aware of the investigation only when agents arrived. They did not reveal how agents learned of the equipment.
County attorney Cecil Caine said the bugging system apparently was installed by a previous administration, and county records showed the clock radio was purchased at the Alabama Spy Shop in Madison in 2004.
Lawrence County Commission Chairman Bradley Cross said Monday the assistant county administrator, Karen Harrison, might have installed the hidden camera to prove she and possibly others weren't viewing pornography on computers. [roll eyes]
"I think that was the reason why it was bugged. That's my thinking," Cross said. "I can't be sure, but that's my opinion. I don't know what was on it." (more)
AL - A spy gadget that sounds like something out of a James Bond movie [groan] is raising questions in a rural Alabama county.
A crowd of residents filled the Lawrence County Commission's meeting room Monday to learn more about an FBI probe that uncovered surveillance equipment that reportedly was used to record what went on inside a private office in a courthouse annex.
The FBI confiscated the bug on Sept. 13, and commissioners said they became aware of the investigation only when agents arrived. They did not reveal how agents learned of the equipment.
County attorney Cecil Caine said the bugging system apparently was installed by a previous administration, and county records showed the clock radio was purchased at the Alabama Spy Shop in Madison in 2004.
Lawrence County Commission Chairman Bradley Cross said Monday the assistant county administrator, Karen Harrison, might have installed the hidden camera to prove she and possibly others weren't viewing pornography on computers. [roll eyes]
"I think that was the reason why it was bugged. That's my thinking," Cross said. "I can't be sure, but that's my opinion. I don't know what was on it." (more)
SpyCam Story #381 - SpyCams Go Hollywood
'Look' spy-cam footage looks real, but isn't... We may not realize it, but we're all movie stars thanks to the roughly 30 million surveillance cameras throughout the U.S. that capture each of us on film about 200 times daily.
That's the premise of writer-director Adam Rifkin's "Look," a fascinating feature that appears to be actual spy-cam footage strung together, but is really a fiction film spring-boarding off the idea that our comings and goings these days are anything but private.
After an early look at "Look," which I've been telling friends not to miss, I was happy to focus on the making of the film with Rifkin.
"We all, I think, are aware of it, but I don't think we think about it enough," Rifkin said about the cameras that record so much of what we do in public today. "I don't think most people are aware of it to the extent that it really permeates the culture. When I started thinking about the idea to make the movie, I started looking around everywhere I went and there were just cameras everywhere. Most of the time (when) you're sitting in a restaurant, you're shopping at a grocery store, you're changing in a changing room, you're in a public bathroom, you're just not thinking about it -- but they're everywhere. And interestingly the number of cameras is growing exponentially." (more)(trailer)
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