Jean François Eap - Sky Global

Notwithstanding the spewing of the busted Mr. Jean François Eap, Sky Global has been shuttered for good. "To date, the authorities have not informed us of any of the procedures reported by the media. As I followed the media reports over the last week, it is with great sadness that I see a blanket scope of what can only be described as an erosion of the right to privacy."

Jean-François Eap in 2017.

A federal grand jury returned indictments against Jean Francois Eap, the head of Sky Global, and Thomas Herdman. Warrants have been issued for their arrest. The indictment says they installed sophisticated encryption software in cellphones that allowed drug dealers to communicate with each other in a closed network through encrypted servers in Canada and France. The men are charged with RICO conspiracy and conspiracy to distribute controlled substances. HERE

Eap says the allegations against him are "unfounded" and "entirely false." "The indictment against me personally in the United States is an example of the police and the government trying to vilify anyone who takes a stance against unwarranted surveillance."

The phones, Sky ECC, were sold for between €900 and €2,000. Sky Global modified phones to remove GPS, camera, internet and voice. Subscriptions cost between $1,200 and $2,000 for six months. Sky ECC has strong parallels to the EncroChat encrypted phone network, which was shuttered in June 2020.

Agencies obtained a billion messages sent between Sky users.

The indictment is only the second time the DOJ has filed RICO charges against an encrypted phone company. Phantom Secure of Vince Ramos was the first. He pulled 9 years. The US arrest warrants follow raids by Belgian and Dutch police on drug traffickers following a joint operation with French cops. Police in Europe have arrested 80. Some 70,000 Sky Global devices were in use around the world.