Feds pay $134k to woman whose ID was used on Facebook
DEA agent used woman’s seized phone to set up bogus Facebook page
http://www.timesunion.com/news/article/Feds-pay-134k-to-woman-whose-ID-used-by-DEA-on-6027904.php
The U.S. Justice Department will pay $134,000 to settle a federal lawsuit filed by a Watertown woman whose identity and personal photos were used by a DEA agent to set up a fake Facebook page using her name as part of a drug investigation.
Sondra Arquiett, also known as Sondra Prince, filed a lawsuit two years ago claiming her civil rights were violated when the DEA agent, Timothy Sinnigen, seized her mobile phone and used it to set up a Facebook page after Arquiett was arrested on drug charges in July 2010. The Justice Department said Sinnigen posed as Arquiett on the Facebook page, exchanged messages with her friends and invited people to be “friends,” including a fugitive he was trying to arrest.
Richard Hartunian, the US attorney for the northern district of New York, said in a statement that the settlement “demonstrates that the government is mindful of its obligation to ensure the rights of third parties are not infringed upon in the course of its efforts to bring those who commit federal crimes to justice.” He said the deal “also takes into account emerging personal privacy concerns in the age of social media, and represents a fair resolution of plaintiff’s claims.”
The government admitted no wrongdoing. Looks like the DEA is taking a page out of CVS’ playbook.. just pay the fine and admit no wrongdoing.
Filed under: General Problems
You might think that $134K is a lot, but after attorney fees, legal expenses, and taxes, she’s not going to get very much at all.