US accuses alleged Russian smuggling network member of using AirTags to stalk his ex-wife

Jun 06, 2024 12:28 AM - 4 months ago 47827

The US is accusing an alleged personnel of a Russian smuggling web of utilizing AirTags to stalk his now ex-wife, 404 Media reported based connected a precocious unsealed indictment.

According to tribunal documents, Tajikistan citizen Ibodullo Muhiddinov Numanovich likely smuggled his ex-wife into nan US done nan web he supposedly worked for. He was indicted by a expansive jury successful May for 1 count of stalking by putting his ex-wife, referred to arsenic S.K. successful tribunal documents, nether physics surveillance and “sending threatening sound messages” that made her reasonably fearfulness decease aliases superior injury. He has pleaded not guilty.

Stories of AirTag-enabled stalking are thing new. There person been several cases involving group utilizing nan mini Apple search devices to support tabs connected their exes. And of course, it’s not a problem wholly unsocial to AirTags. Recently, consumers and authorities officials person raised alarms astir nan risks that abusive romanticist partners could way their important others aliases exes done internet-connected vehicles.

In this case, Numanovich allegedly put 7 AirTags connected a car that S.K. utilized betwixt March and April this year. They were concealed each complete nan car, according to nan government, including successful nan casing of nan broadside reflector and nether nan beforehand bumper.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation yet utilized nan AirTags to show Numanovich’s actions, seeing erstwhile he’d spot aliases cheque them. The authorities claimed that records from Apple linked Numanovich’s to 1 of nan AirTags.

After his indictment, rule enforcement executed a hunt warrant and opportunity they recovered a files connected his telephone pinch astir 140 “sexually definitive photographs and videos” of his ex-wife, which he allegedly threatened to merchandise if she doesn’t travel his demands.

Apple did not instantly respond to a petition for comment.

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