US Phone Wiping Charges and Legal Precedent
A U.S. citizen faces felony charges for wiping his phone's data during an airport search, sparking debates over government surveillance and digital privacy.
January 2025
Samuel Tunick questioned by CBP and FBI at Atlanta airport
Samuel Tunick was questioned by US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and FBI agents at Atlanta's airport. He was being investigated due to his activities with Defend the Atlanta Forest.
Source ↗July 2026
US District Court in Atlanta held hearing on Tunick case
A hearing was held in a US District Court in Atlanta regarding the case of Samuel Tunick. The hearing addressed the allegations surrounding the phone wiping incident.
Source ↗US government targets Sam Tunick over phone wiping
The US government is pursuing charges against Sam Tunick regarding the alleged wiping of his phone using GrapheneOS. Authorities are reportedly attempting to prosecute him for this action.
Source ↗Federal authorities place Sam Tunick on terrorism watchlist
Federal authorities placed Sam Tunick on a terrorism watchlist due to his alleged association with the movement against Cop City.
Source ↗Agents allegedly search Sam Tunick's device without warrant
Agents allegedly conducted a search of Sam Tunick's device without producing a warrant or reading him his rights.
Source ↗The Guardian reports additional details from Tunick's court hearing
The Guardian published additional details regarding the case involving Samuel Tunick. These reports included information gathered from a court hearing.
Source ↗FlashMobOfOne created video regarding US phone wiping charges
FlashMobOfOne published a video detailing the story of the US charging an American citizen. The video was posted on the author's channel.
Source ↗DOJ Targets Activist Over Smartphone Wiping Incident
The Department of Justice is attempting to prosecute a man. The charges relate to his alleged use of a "duress" password on a smartphone that resulted in the wiping of its contents.
Source ↗US Prosecutors Charge Atlanta Man Over Phone Wipe
US prosecutors charged an Atlanta man following an incident involving his GrapheneOS phone. The incident occurred during an airport search.
Source ↗Tunick Denied Access to Lawyer During Search
The motion related to the case stated that Tunick requested to speak with a lawyer four times. These requests were reportedly denied by authorities.
Source ↗GrapheneOS Phone Wipes Itself During Airport Search in US
A GrapheneOS phone wiped its data while undergoing an airport search. This incident became the basis for subsequent legal proceedings.
Source ↗US Prosecutors Charge Atlanta Man After GrapheneOS Phone Wipes Itself
US prosecutors charged an Atlanta man. The charges stem from an incident where a GrapheneOS phone wiped itself during an airport search.
Source ↗Samuel Tunick interviews 404 Media regarding government charges
Samuel Tunick spoke with 404 Media concerning the charges brought against him. Tunick stated that the charges were intended to intimidate people against protecting their data.
Source ↗GrapheneOS Defends Data-Wiping Function Against US Search
GrapheneOS is publicly defending its data-wiping function. This function was used by an activist to prevent federal agents from searching his phone.
Source ↗US Citizen Faces Felony Charge After Phone Wiping Incident
A US citizen and activist against Cop City was questioned by customs officers upon returning to the US. The citizen provided a duress passcode that resulted in the phone's data being wiped, leading to a federal felony charge.
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