The FBI is facing accusations of breaching “constitutional rights” after seizing $86 million of valuables from safety deposit boxes. Exotic watches like the Rolex, Cartier bracelets, and a large amount of cash were in those boxes. The seizure happened because the business was facing money laundering charges.
The action did not go unnoticed, especially by customers of the safety deposit box business based in Beverly Hills, California. They now plan to sue the government three years after the FBI seized their private property in 2021.
The business in question is the U.S. Private Vaults. It was under investigation for money laundering, forcing the judge to grant the FBI a search warrant.
Upon obtaining the warrant, the FBI raided the business in March 2021, seizing over 1,400 safety deposit boxes. An inspection of the contents of the security boxes allegedly turned up guns, drugs such as fentanyl, and millions of dollars in cash.
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However, many customers claim their contents went missing even though they did not break any laws. U.S. Private Vaults ultimately pleaded guilty to money laundering. However, their customers, who were not facing any charges, said the FBI would not return their valuable possessions.
According to U.S. law, civil asset forfeiture allows the government to seize cash or property from individuals without charging them with a crime. But those who want their possessions back will challenge that.
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Many owners have since come together to file a class-action lawsuit against the government. They argue that the FBI and the American government have violated their Fourth Amendment protection from unreasonable search and seizure.
Others claim they breached the Firth Amendment because their private property was impounded without compensation. Linda Martin is one of the aggrieved renters. She has been very vocal about how this has affected her ability to trust government officials.
“I felt misled, I felt angry, I’m still angry,” she said. “They didn’t tell us why they took our money; they haven’t told us why yet.” Another renter, Travis May, is happy there is any progress after witnessing the December 7, 2023 hearing.
“It’s been just a long journey to get accountability for this from the government. The journey is not over. But today felt very good to see those concerns taken seriously,” he stated.
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The case should settle in the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals since a lower court took the FBI’s side last year. “I think the public sees this and recognizes that this is just a total abuse of people’s constitutional rights,” says attorney Rob Johnson, a member of the Institute of Justice.
In the FBI’s defense, they tried to reunite the private possessions with their owners. The FBI reportedly tried to return the personal possessions to those who weren’t facing charges, but people did not turn up.
There are even claims that the federal agency put up a notice on the window of the USPV, and all owners had to do was contact the FBI.
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