Feds Unlock Suspect’s Computer Without Her Help
March 4th, 2012As it turns out, the ex-husband provided a list of possible passwords to the government.
Via: Denver Post:
A dispute over whether requiring a bank-fraud suspect to unlock her computer violates the suspect’s rights against self-incrimination has shifted after federal authorities got into the computer another way.
An attorney for Ramona Fricosu confirmed this morning that federal investigators have been able to unlock the laptop in question without Fricosu’s help. Detectives seized the laptop, which they argued belonged to Fricosu, during a search warrant but were unable to get into it because it was encrypted.
…
Dubois wrote in an e-mail today that Fricosu’s co-defendant — Scott Whatcott, who is also her ex-husband — provided a list of possible passwords to investigators last month. Whatcott gave the passwords to investigators after the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals in Denver declined to review Blackburn’s decision.
Dubois wrote that Whatcott was apparently worried that Fricosu, with whom he has two children, could be sent to jail for contempt if she failed to unlock the computer. Dubois maintained, as he has before, that Fricosu may have forgotten the computer’s password or never known it.
“The government tried these passwords,” Dubois wrote, “and one of them was the right password.”
Related: Judge Orders Defendant to Decrypt Laptop
Check. My mate doesn’t know my keys and I don’t know hers. Don’t know what they are, don’t know how we derived them, sorry officer I can’t help you.
He was afraid she’d be sent to jail for contempt? He probably helped the government secure far more serious charges.
I’m sure this still will embolden courts to demand more decryption. So this challenge that was sidestepped will have to be fought one day. And come to think of it I’m having trouble remembering my password right now.