Re: Next steps in extortion case - ideas?

["Justin M. Streiner" <streiner () cluebyfour org>]

On Sat, 28 Jun 2014, Markus wrote:

> nothing operational here, but there are many smart minds on this list and 
> people working for telcos, ISPs and law enforcement agencies, so maybe you 
> are willing to give me some advice in the following case:
>
> That individual is hiding his real identity really well, obviously, and he 
> knows what he's doing. Domain hosted in Russia, taking good care his IP 
> address won't show up in the mail headers, using false names and identities, 
> phone numbers registered through some DID provider who doesn't collect 
> personal information about the DID owner etc.

Fair warning: I am not a lawyer, and not an expert in the intricacies of 
international law.  You would be well-advised to seek counsel from a 
lawyer who specializes in this area.

Have you contacted your local police, or the German equivalent (the 
BKA?) of the United States' FBI?  Law enforcement agencies are going to
have (or can get through court order) the legal authority to get the
information you're after, and if the information is deemed credible and 
the offense serious enough, charges can be brought against the individual. 
Most likely the US FBI would get involved after being contacted by their 
counterparts in Germany, since international crime generally falls under 
federal jurisdiction in the US.

My personal opinion is that having a PI go to the individual's house would 
not accomplish more than 'tipping your hand' to that person - letting them 
know that you've committed resources to tracking them down.

jms