US accuses alleged Russian smuggling network member of using AirTags to stalk his ex-wife

The US is accusing an alleged member of a Russian smuggling network of using AirTags to stalk his now ex-wife, 404 Media reported based on a recently unsealed indictment.

According to court documents, Tajikistan citizen Ibodullo Muhiddinov Numanovich likely smuggled his ex-wife into the US through the network he supposedly worked for. He was indicted by a grand jury in May for one count of stalking by putting his ex-wife, referred to as S.K. in court documents, under electronic surveillance and “sending threatening voice messages” that made her reasonably fear death or serious injury. He has pleaded not guilty.

Stories of AirTag-enabled stalking are nothing new. There have been several cases involving people using the tiny Apple tracking devices to keep tabs on their exes. And of course, it’s not a problem entirely unique to AirTags. Recently, consumers and government officials have raised alarms about the risks that abusive romantic partners could track their significant others or exes through internet-connected vehicles.

In this case, Numanovich allegedly put seven AirTags on a car that S.K. used between March and April this year. They were concealed all over the car, according to the government, including in the casing of the side mirror and under the front bumper.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation ultimately used the AirTags to monitor Numanovich’s actions, seeing when he’d place or check them. The government claimed that records from Apple linked Numanovich’s to one of the AirTags.

After his indictment, law enforcement executed a search warrant and say they found a folder on his phone with about 140 “sexually explicit photographs and videos” of his ex-wife, which he allegedly threatened to release if she doesn’t follow his demands.

Apple did not immediately respond to a request for comment.