Apple, police sued over threats via iPod

A Missouri man  is now suing Apple after accusing the company of illegally installing receivers into two iPods that allowed the Mafia to transmit threatening messages to him, a CNET report indicates.

Gregory McKenna filed the lawsuit last week in a St. Louis district court, and lists the St. Louis County Police Department, Apple, FBI, an auto mechanic, and a private investigator as defendants.  McKenna said the defendants conspired to stalk, extort, and torture him on numerous occasions.

Along with saying his iPods were bugged, McKenna also said his home and vehicle may have bee bugged, although it’s unknown what, if any, evidence he’ll be able to turn over in the case.  His issues with the local police department started when he called in a complaint and the officers reportedly took too long to respond to the call.

More details — but no public statements from the defendants — will likely surface in the coming weeks.

He reportedly purchased the Apple iPod Shuffle on eBay in 2005, then purchased an iPod Mini from an Apple Store in 2006 — reports, however, note how the Mini was discontinued several months before he bought it from an Apple store.  In 2008, he said mafia members repeatedly said “I’m going to kill him” during music tracks.

“The recording of death threats and other evidence prove that Apple Inc. conspired with the Mafia and other defendants to manufacture, distribute, and sell illegally bugged iPods and other electronic equipment to plaintiff to perpetuate the stalking, extortion, and torture,” according to the lawsuit.

Apple is a popular target for lawsuits — even if possible frivolous — as the company is highly successful and is always in the headlines.  I expect this one to be thrown out relatively quickly, as the case appears to have a number of gaping holes, but we’ll have to wait and see what happens.