Two lawsuits challenging the FBI’s warrantless search of safe deposit boxes have been allowed to proceed due to several key factors.
Firstly, the FBI’s raid on U.S. Private Vaults in March 2021 raised serious concerns about constitutional rights and government overreach.
Despite having a warrant for the raid itself and to seize the customers’ boxes, the warrant explicitly did not authorize a “criminal search or seizure” of the boxes’ contents.
The FBI’s actions, which included searching all of the deposit boxes and seizing their contents without proper authorization, were deemed “egregious” and “outrageous” by a federal appellate judge.
Additionally, the lawsuits allege that some of the property seized during the raid was never returned to its rightful owners, leading to claims of missing property and financial losses.
For example, plaintiffs like Jeni Pearsons, Michael Storc, and Donald Mellein have claimed that the FBI seized their cash, silver, and gold coins, respectively, but failed to return all of the seized items.
The court’s decision to allow the lawsuits to proceed against the federal government is significant as it signifies that there are valid legal grounds for challenging the FBI’s actions.
Judge Robert Klausner of the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California ruled that the lawsuits may move forward, rejecting the government’s motions to dismiss. While some claims against specific individuals were dismissed, the core allegations against the government regarding the warrantless search and seizure of safe deposit boxes were upheld.
Overall, these rulings demonstrate that the courts recognize the seriousness of the allegations against the FBI and the importance of upholding constitutional protections against unreasonable searches and seizures.
The lawsuits represent a crucial step in holding the government accountable for its actions and seeking justice for the individuals whose rights were violated during the raid on U.S. Private Vaults.
