Federal investigators say they used encrypted Signal messages to charge Oath Keepers leader
Summary
Federal investigators say they accessed encrypted Signal messages sent in the lead-up to the Jan. 6, 2021, riot on the U.S. Capitol, and used them as evidence to charge the leader of the Oath Keepers, an extremist far-right militia group, and other defendants in a seditious plot. In a new legal complaint made public on Thursday, The Department of Justice alleges the defendants conspired to forcefully oppose the transfer of power between then-President Donald Trump to Joe Biden, including by trying to take control of the U.S. Capitol. Representatives for Signal, the Department of Justice, and Federal Bureau of Investigation did not immediately respond to CNBCs requests for comment. While law enforcement worries that criminals will exploit encrypted technology to hide wrongdoing, tech companies like Apple have argued that its an important tool for privacy. But some law enforcers have said newer security features on iPhone software now makes it harder for them to technically access those devices, even if they are able to obtain a warrant.