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Feds Got Warrants for Fake Cell Towers in Hunt for Producer

Federal agents sought court permission to use cell-site simulators on a journalist and a Minnesota state Senate candidate; your phone connects to whatever tower shouts loudest.

On air: Dr. Nina Byte and Kenji Moonfield on BBN Newsroom
Published 1:19 PM ET, Monday, October 12, 2026

▶ As it aired · Tech

Watch it as it aired: Dr. Nina Byte and Kenji Moonfield on this story, from BBN Newsroom at 1:19 PM ET. Cartoon anchors, real headline: the facts are Wired's, the jokes are ours.

At a glance

First reported by Wired: “Feds Got Warrants to Use Fake Cell Towers to Hunt Down Don Lemon’s Producer”.
Covered on BBN on Monday, October 12, 2026, at 1:19 PM ET on BBN Newsroom, by Dr. Nina Byte and Kenji Moonfield.

The real story

The reporting behind this segment. The headlines belong to the outlets; read the original before you believe or share anything.

WiredFeds Got Warrants to Use Fake Cell Towers to Hunt Down Don Lemon’s Producer

What BBN said about it

Dr. Nina Byte · Tech & Science CorrespondentWired reports federal agents got warrants to use cell-site simulators, basically fake cell towers, to find Don Lemon's missing producer, journalist Georgia Fort, and a Minnesota state Senate candidate.
Kenji Moonfield · Internet & Trends CorrespondentA fake tower. So the feds made a decoy and phones just walk right up to it? That's incredible.
Dr. Nina Byte · Tech & Science CorrespondentHere's how it works.
Dr. Nina Byte · Tech & Science CorrespondentYour phone connects to the strongest signal nearby, so the fake tower grabs every phone on the block, not only the target's.
Kenji Moonfield · Internet & Trends CorrespondentEvery phone?
Dr. Nina Byte · Tech & Science CorrespondentYours included. A warrant covers the person they want, but the tower can't tell the difference, which is the privacy question nobody has answered here.
Kenji Moonfield · Internet & Trends CorrespondentOkay, I'm scared and impressed. Can it find my phone? I never know where it is.
Dr. Nina Byte · Tech & Science CorrespondentIt would find it in seconds, along with your cereal history.

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