This story is actually from August of '22, but has an update today.

It's important because the DOJ/FBI operates pretty much anyway they want and appear to be backed up by our DC system of justice. I think I read about this here and remember wondering how in the hell they got a warrant. Apparently they're using the Fani justice system with Fani type judges. Naturally, they lied their asses off to get the warrant. I'd be shocked if anyone suffers discipline.

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https://ij.org/press-release/lawsuit-uncovers-the-inside-story-of-the-fbis-plans-to-take-security-deposit-boxes-without-charging-owners-with-crimes/

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rights. You can join us by supporting our work here: ij.org/support
LOS ANGELESWhen the FBI asked a federal magistrate judge for a warrant to seize the property of US Private Vaults, it concealed critical details about its plan for the hundreds of individually rented security deposit boxes at the Beverly Hills business. Evidence brought to light in a federal class action lawsuit filed by the Institute for Justice (IJ) reveals the previously hidden history of the federal government's raid, which deliberately violated the constitutional rights of hundreds of people throughout Southern California.
"The government has a duty to be honest with the court when it applies for a warrant under the Fourth Amendment," said IJ Senior Attorney Robert Frommer. "But the FBI lied about its intentions in claiming to only be interested in the property of the business, and not the box holders. Ultimately, the lure of civil forfeiture turned these federal cops into robbers."
For almost five years the government investigated individual customers of US Private Vaults, using the business as (in the words of one agent) a "honey pot" to target customers. However, the government shifted its focus to the company after deciding its initial approach was not "effective."
As part of that shift in focus, in summer 2020 the government started planning to apply for search and seizure warrants against US Private Vaults and its owners. One of those warrants was to seize US Private Vaults' business property, including the "nest," a relatively worthless superstructure that held renters' safe-deposit boxes. When the FBI applied for that seizure warrant in March 2021, its affidavit did not allege that the customers had done anything wrong, and both the FBI and the United States Attorney's Office swore that agents would merely "inventory" box renters' property. They promised the warrant would "authorize the seizure of the nests of the boxes themselves, not their contents," and that agents would pry "no further than necessary to determine ownership."


Now, here's an update from today. Apparently, we should have a special attorney tax for all of the revenue Americans are giving to attorneys having to defend themselves from the government because it's growing bigger and bigger every year. Of course, the attorneys fund a hell of a lot of Dem policies which seem to cause more catastrophes! Huh! Fancy that!

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The FBI raided Jeni Pearson's safe deposit box and tried to take all the contents using civil forfeiture. Jeni fought back, along with other @IJ clients, and won...

Except, when the FBI returned the box contents, $2,000 was missing. So Jeni and @IJ sued again.

Yesterday, we got… pic.twitter.com/JfayXxesyw

— Rob Johnson (@FreeRangeLawyer) March 16, 2024

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Civil asset forfeiture needs to be stopped permanently.

There is no rational excuse for it.

That Nazi playbook just keeps delivering for this "justice" department


Meanwhile our border is wide open with scum pouring in everyday

https://texags.com/forums/16/topics/3322773

Agents involved should be criminally charged.

Makes you think twice about laughing at those people who burycoffee cans of cash in their yard...

Just straight up theft

A simple and expected extension of power granted to the Feds by the PATRIOTAct in War on Drugs and War on Terror

Quickly becoming one of the corrupt governments like Brazil, Argentina, etc...

tysker said:

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A simple and expected extension of power granted to the Feds by the PATRIOTAct in War on Drugs and War on Terror

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Yep!

It's pretty amazing how she caught the feds lying. As the OP in the X post stated, discovery is going to be loads of fun in that one.

This isn't new. Long story, but some years ago my then-bookie father-in-law was raided by the FBI & our state's BI. Additional to destroying the water heaters, the HVAC, every electronic device/appliance in the house (including the garbage disposal) & every framed family photo during their search, these scumbags absconded with almost $600k in cash. This $600k was never returned, and it never showed up in any inventory: *poof*.

FBI=KGB

One of the many disgusting things about this case is that the FBI deliberately violated the terms of the search warrant and deliberately and knowingly searched and seized things that were not on the warrant.

AtticusMatlock said:

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One of the many disgusting things about this case is that the FBI deliberately violated the terms of the search warrant and deliberately and knowingly searched and seized things that were not on the warrant.

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I should have made that topic a bigger point. I knew the "odor of mendacity" the FBI/criminals used to lie to the judge for the warrant was the really important part of the story.

I had to choose one in the headline and chose the theft of personal property. However, to me, this was the worst action our criminal FBI committed.

In fact, if someone wanted to start a RICO case, this one might apply. It certainly seems to be well planned.

richardag said:

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Agents involved should be criminally charged.

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Considering how the courts have stretched qualified immunity, good luck.

The fact they opened everything - passwords to financial accounts, personal documents, everything, then had drug dogs run through it all, only to put all the information in the Sentinel database, and did it all under the guise of "inventory" is disgusting. I am becoming more and more convinced that the FBI is not "a lot of good agents with a few bad apples" but is simply rotten to the core. Every last one of them who participated in violating rights like this should be lined up against the wall or put in prison for the rest of their lives. Any case they worked on should be questioned. Let the criminals out because the FBI cheated. **** em.

Law enforcement will not be on the peoples side in the coming decades.

Who takes a picture of the contents of a safe deposit box each time you visit?

Tex100 said:

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Who takes a picture of the contents of a safe deposit box each time you visit?

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She does!

If I were a bank I'd now recommend it.

It certainly has nothing to do with the bank but falls under customer service. The banks like Bank of America would likely let the FBI in without warrants, but since the FBI can literally do this to anyone, anytime, by lying to any judge to get the warrant, then every single person in the country is at risk.

Our politicians don't give a damn and certainly not our judges. Now, if you're a Dem that votes AND gives to the party, then you might have a chance to get your assets back.

Cops

[That's your third derail on this thread. One day for each. Either contribute to the discussion or don't post -- Staff]

Viper16 said:

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tysker said:

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A simple and expected extension of power granted to the Feds by the PATRIOTAct in War on Drugs and War on Terror

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Yep!

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War on Drugs, yes, but civil asset forfeiture was a problem long before the Patriot Act.

They don't serve the Constitution, so not surprised they are thieves too.

jt2hunt said:

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Tex100 said:

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Who takes a picture of the contents of a safe deposit box each time you visit?

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She does!

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But what does it really prove?. You could take the picture and then pocket the cash/item.and close the box.

Tex100 said:

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jt2hunt said:

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Tex100 said:

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Who takes a picture of the contents of a safe deposit box each time you visit?

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She does!

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But what does it really prove?. You could take the picture and then pocket the cash/item.and close the box.

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I'm not arguing whether the picture proves anything was in there or not. However, the fact that she has a picture of stuff that was at one time was in the box whether she took it out or not is better than not having a picture don't you think?

v1rotate92 said:

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Quickly becoming one of the corrupt governments like Brazil, Argentina, etc...

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Imma let you in on a little secret - our government has been absolutely corrupt longer than your grandparents have been alive, and corrupt before that as well.

jt2hunt said:

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Tex100 said:

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jt2hunt said:

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Tex100 said:

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Who takes a picture of the contents of a safe deposit box each time you visit?

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She does!

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But what does it really prove?. You could take the picture and then pocket the cash/item.and close the box.

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I'm not arguing whether the picture proves anything was in there or not. However, the fact that she has a picture of stuff that was at one time was in the box whether she took it out or not is better than not having a picture don't you think?

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. I think it proves nothing, it may have never been in the box at all. Bring the cash in a briefcase. Take out the safe deposit box. Put the money in the box. Take a picture. Take the money from the box and put it back in the briefcase.

I'm not on the FBI side here at all.

Tex100 said:

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jt2hunt said:

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Tex100 said:

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jt2hunt said:

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Tex100 said:

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Who takes a picture of the contents of a safe deposit box each time you visit?

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She does!

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But what does it really prove?. You could take the picture and then pocket the cash/item.and close the box.

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I'm not arguing whether the picture proves anything was in there or not. However, the fact that she has a picture of stuff that was at one time was in the box whether she took it out or not is better than not having a picture don't you think?

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. I think it proves nothing, it may have never been in the box at all. Bring the cash in a briefcase. Take out the safe deposit box. Put the money in the box. Take a picture. Take the money from the box and put it back in the briefcase.

I'm not on the FBI side here at all.

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The FBI can argue that. The plaintiff can argue the picture represents the contents. The jury decides which argument to believe.

eric76 said:

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Civil asset forfeiture needs to be stopped permanently.

There is no rational excuse for it.

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I hate CAF as it now exists, but I would have FAR fewer problems with it, if it were simply applied to the assets of those CONVICTED of the crime.

Tex100 said:

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jt2hunt said:

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Tex100 said:

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jt2hunt said:

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Tex100 said:

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Who takes a picture of the contents of a safe deposit box each time you visit?

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She does!

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But what does it really prove?. You could take the picture and then pocket the cash/item.and close the box.

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I'm not arguing whether the picture proves anything was in there or not. However, the fact that she has a picture of stuff that was at one time was in the box whether she took it out or not is better than not having a picture don't you think?

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. I think it proves nothing, it may have never been in the box at all. Bring the cash in a briefcase. Take out the safe deposit box. Put the money in the box. Take a picture. Take the money from the box and put it back in the briefcase.

I'm not on the FBI side here at all.

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It proves a hell of a lot more than the FBI's word

Antoninus said:

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eric76 said:

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Civil asset forfeiture needs to be stopped permanently.

There is no rational excuse for it.

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I hate CAF as it now exists, but I would have FAR fewer problems with it, if it were simply applied to the assets of those CONVICTED of the crime.

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That would make more sense than the current Civil Asset Forfeiture. The current CAF is like an invitation to abuse citizens.