In the context of Trump officials, weighing whether to release the sealed “Epstein archive” and speculation about potential pardons, Maxwell is not only Epstein’s fixed person, but also someone who has long struggled to ensure she is aligned with those in power.
In the new unsealed arrest warrant reviewed by Forbes, immigration and customs enforcement are authorized to use a cellular site simulator, a controversial surveillance tool that can track phone calls by mimicking real cellular towers – an effort to find Venezuelan nationals. The initial location data narrowed people down to 30 areas, prompting ICE to use equipment to require more precise tracking. It is unclear whether he has ever been arrested.
The case highlights ICE’s reliance on surveillance tools that civil liberties groups have long criticized for their criticism of data from bystanders and along with the targets to sweep away much of the data. In May, procurement records show that ICE spent nearly $1 million on the “Cell Site Simulator vehicle” on a 2024 contract initiated by the previous administration. ICE also reportedly maintained a $4.4 million deal with Harris Corporation, the maker of the notorious “Stingray”, which has become the same name as nearly every cell site simulator used by law enforcement.
These devices, by tricking phones into thinking they are real cell towers, allow police to identify target devices and track their movements more accurately, rather than the wide range of geolocation data available to phone companies. While normal traces can only provide rough radius or general orientation, with stingrays and some attachments that can narrow the search down to a specific neighborhood, home or apartment. These devices are controversial because in some modes they not only capture the phone signal of the target—they pick up data from each device within range, scanning information about bystander calls without their knowledge or consent.
The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration Safety Consultation said last month that road infrastructure, including chargers, traffic cameras and roadside weather stations, should be inspected for hidden equipment. According to Reuters, investigators found “undocumented cellular radios” in certain power inverters and battery management systems used for solar energy. The warning is because the U.S. government has increasingly issued an alarm in recent years about the risk of potential damage to U.S. infrastructure in Chinese-made equipment.
The U.S. Treasury Department approved nearly 20 companies in Myanmar and Cambodia this week and approved their role in a multi-billion-dollar global scam. These scams use the labor of victims of human trafficking to target victims around the world with fraudulent behaviors of investment, romance and other digital confidence. The United States has issued financial and diplomatic sanctions on nine entities in Shwe Kokko, Myanmar, and 10 entities in Cambodia. In a press release on the operation, John K., Deputy Secretary of Finance, Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, was a member of the Finance Department.