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Re: US Politics Thread
Paul Manafort Learns That Encrypting Messages Doesn't Matter If the Feds Have a Warrant to Search Your iCloud Account
Federal prosecutors have accused Paul Manafort of witness tampering, alleging that he used WhatsApp and Telegram in an attempt to coordinate his testimony with old business associates. Manafort, Donald Trump’s former campaign manager, may have thought that he was being sneaky by using encrypted chat apps, but Manafort just learned the hard way that strong encryption doesn’t really matter if you’re backing up your messages to the cloud—especially when the federal government gets a warrant to access your iCloud account.
The new court filing, made public just last night, outlines the communications that Manafort had with multiple unnamed sources. And while some of the sources willingly handed over WhatsApp and Telegram messages to special prosecutor Robert Mueller, it’s clear that the feds also have a court order to search through Manafort’s iCloud account.
Manafort is accused of money laundering, tax evasion, and violating federal laws that require lobbyists to declare who they’re working for, known as the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA). Manafort allegedly lobbied for pro-Russian interests in Ukraine, and also lobbied in the United States. Manafort has pleaded not guilty to the charges, though his longtime business partner Rick Gates has cut a deal and is cooperating with investigators.
WhatsApp allows both manual and automatic scheduled backups to iCloud, though it’s not clear what settings Manafort may have had on his device. As WhatsApp notes on its website, “Media and messages you back up aren’t protected by WhatsApp end-to-end encryption while in iCloud.”
Manafort’s messages include code names for people and they allegedly show an attempt to get everyone on the same page about their testimony. One of the people that Manafort communicated with alleges that Manfort was trying to “suborn perjury” by saying that the Hapsburg group only did lobbying work in Europe and not the United States.
“We should talk. I have made clear that they worked in Europe,” one of Manafort’s messages reads.
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- Smoking Guns
- Rep: 330
Re: US Politics Thread
Well, Trump pardoned the lady Kardashian brought before him. I am fine with it.
- Randall Flagg
- Rep: 139
Re: US Politics Thread
Smoking Guns wrote:Well, Trump pardoned the lady Kardashian brought before him. I am fine with it.
Wha.....?!
Trump gave clemency to a black woman convicted to life in prison under Clinton for dealing narcotics. Kardashian advocated on her behalf last week during her White House visit.
Re: US Politics Thread
mitchejw wrote:Smoking Guns wrote:Well, Trump pardoned the lady Kardashian brought before him. I am fine with it.
Wha.....?!
Trump gave clemency to a black woman convicted to life in prison under Clinton for dealing narcotics. Kardashian advocated on her behalf last week during her White House visit.
Ah...i hate Kardashian as much as trump
- Smoking Guns
- Rep: 330
Re: US Politics Thread
Randall Flagg wrote:mitchejw wrote:Wha.....?!
Trump gave clemency to a black woman convicted to life in prison under Clinton for dealing narcotics. Kardashian advocated on her behalf last week during her White House visit.
Ah...i hate Kardashian as much as trump
Well, today was a good day for her.. And good on Kardashian and Jared Kushner.. John Kelly and Don McGan (SP) didn't want him to grant the clemency. Randall is right, it wasn't a pardon. I think she got released today.
Re: US Politics Thread
The attack on Bill Clinton is stupid. Did he force her to flash him her thong? Give him head? Cum on her face? Stick a cigar in her cooch? She wasn't a kid she was a grown woman. If we get into power dynamics then all sex is rape, how many relationships have one partner better off than the other? #MeToo is a joke.
- Smoking Guns
- Rep: 330
Re: US Politics Thread
The attack on Bill Clinton is stupid. Did he force her to flash him her thong? Give him head? Cum on her face? Stick a cigar in her cooch? She wasn't a kid she was a grown woman. If we get into power dynamics then all sex is rape, how many relationships have one partner better off than the other? #MeToo is a joke.
He took advantage of the situation and she wasn’t likely mature enough to be doing what she did. She isn’t a victim but also he used his power for his benefit.
