What is the book about?
This is a story of how the Justice Dept. uses taped evidence to prosecute conspiracy cases.  It’s about a criminal informant – a “hired gun” -- who secretly records conversations to gather evidence for the FBI on what might be a terrorist operation. It’s about being secretly taped, and how it can change your life.

How much is true…how much is fiction?
In my book, a professional con man is hired by the government to ferret out criminals. Only he uses wiretapping to set up innocent victims, while he continues to commit real crimes with real criminals who he doesn’t tape.  All that is true. The story about a terrorism investigation is fiction, but the methodology used “to make the case” is real. In fact, much of the outrageous commentary I have Conner Skilling use like, “this sets up perfect for us” and “the fun is starting on this” was lifted directly from e-mails written by the witness in my husband’s case to his FBI handlers.

What happened to your husband?
In 2000 my husband was secretly taped during a business meeting by a man he thought was an investment banker.  The man was really a con man hired by the government.  One night after dinner and many drinks, the con man talked about possible union investment if  he got a higher commission.  My husband did nothing … but he listened.  And that proved to be his undoing.

What do you want people to know about issues such as surveillance and wiretapping? 
In America, you can be convicted for simply talking about an illegal activity – or listening to someone else talk about it.  You don’t have to do anything. Most of us say - and listen to - stupid things we have no intention of actually following through on. In this new surveillance age, where law enforcement “stops crime before it happens” careless, meaningless talk can ruin your life.

What does the government stand to gain?
Conspiracy law is called “the prosecutor’s friend” for a reason. Under it, you can be convicted for just thinking about a crime. You don’t have to plan it, or commit it. With taped evidence, it takes much less time and trouble to develop a case.

What kinds of liberties can be taken with taped conversations?
Juries only hear portions of surveillance tapes. What they don’t hear can be the difference between guilty, and not guilty. These tapes are edited and chopped like a salad – a salad with lots of dressing.  When parts of the tape are unintelligible – which happens all the time – the court asks the “cooperating witness” to fill in the blanks. 

In my husband’s case, the jury never heard statements that showed he wasn’t involved because three tape recorders broke down at the same time, then mysteriously began working again when this crucial part of the conversation was over.

What do you want people to know about the privacy of their conversations?
Never take privacy for granted.  It doesn’t matter that you’ve never had any prior run-ins with the law.  Idle chatter can be dangerous if you’re unlucky enough to have a conversation with an informant wearing a recording device.

Is there really a global interception system that monitors conversations worldwide?
Yes. It’s called Echelon. It’s a network of super computers located all over the world that systematically mines phone calls and e-mails for suspicious words and phrases.

How can you argue with a wiretap that leads to the bust of a terrorist ring?
Since the War on Terror began, there have been no specific instances when the National Security Agency’s wiretapping program contributed to success against terrorism. Those aren’t my words. That’s what five federal intelligence agencies recently reported to Congress.   

Could somebody be listening to my phone conversations?
NSA analysts have admitted to Congress they routinely examine large volumes of e-mail messages and phone calls without warrants. Belonging to all of us.  Recently the NSA admitted to “accidentally” listening in on a conversation California Representative Jane Harmon was having with a donor, and improperly reading Bill Clinton’s e-mail.

How can people know if they’re being snooped on?
I’m certain President Clinton and Representative Harmon had no idea their private conversations were being secretly read and recorded. And neither will you, unless NSA analysts overhear key words or phases they think might be suspicious. Then anything can happen.

Should the average person be concerned about these issues?
Anyone who talks on the phone or uses e-mail should be concerned. I know some people argue we need data mining computers and informants to keep us safe. I like to remind these people what Ben Franklin said about that. He said, “Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty or safety.”

How can people protect themselves?
Read my book and learn all the linguistic tricks informants use to trap people. After you spend a few hours with Conner Skilling, you’ll be able hear an informant from a mile away.

What happened to the cooperating witness who trapped your husband?
He never went to jail, even though he committed stock fraud, tax evasion and violent battery while he was a cooperating witness, taping my husband.  Now he’s in the Federal Witness Protection program.

Are you afraid of retribution for speaking out?
Somewhere in America the criminal who wantonly ruined our lives is living under an assumed name. He is a vicious, violent predator who has spent his entire life committing frauds and assaults. I’m most afraid of him. We all should be. Today, he’s somebody’s golf buddy or investment counselor, living next door - maybe next to you.

What do we need to do to stop what you believe are abuses of wiretapping?
Representative Rush Holt, chairman of the House Select Intelligence Oversight Committee, recently called the NSA’s over collection of private American communications “flagrant.” He also said most lawmakers “don’t understand” the surveillance operations they’re supposed to be legislating. We need to insist our lawmakers understand and control the surveillance apparatus monitoring this nation  before it controls us - and them.