Wow, the feds payed him 10, then 20, then 70k during the course of their operation. I’d really like to know the full story of how this guy got to this point.
100k for an op isn't really that much. especially when it comes to subjects like this.
now, I'm not saying it was worth it... I dont have all the details.
it was too reasonable :-P
That is a bit interesting for scenarios like this, the gov may not be able to reclaim even the unspent crypto; well it's not that different from burying cash somewhere and not divulging after being caught.
If you're ordered to turn the money over by the courts, they can hold you as long as you remain in contempt of court.
Rubber-hose decryption in general has a pretty solid track record.
Especially with the nature of civil asset forfeiture, in which many people never recover their money or property even after proving their innocence, unseizable property has it's appeal.
The difference between theory and practice is that in theory, there isn't one. In practice, there is.
You can't think small with these things, if he had real ambition and vision, he could be running Goldman Sacks!
or the justice dept can accept the plea deal so they can quickly move to other cases.
True, however, a trial may reveal methods* and create political embarrassment. A severe plea deal is therefore a possibility.
* It's quite possible this news story did not contain the entire truth. For example, it's not out of the realm of possibility the FBI knew before COUNTRY1 turned him in.
He was an amateur spy who was caught using good old police techniques. Whether they knew before shouldn't matter.
COUNTRY1 turned everything over and assisted the FBI in their investigation (signaling the suspect). I'm certain they'll send someone to testify in court if needed.
But it does matter. The prosecution isn't just to get a conviction and enforce the law, it's intended to advance national security.
If embarrassing details come out and harm it, the prosecutors would rather not have a trial.
It's quite possible to imagine various embarrassing details that might come out and are compatible with the story as reported - from possible spying on COUNTRY1's embassy, to how exactly did this engineer smuggle these secret documents to his house.
Great lifehack