From the SacBee, one of those stories I meant to post late on Friday but has gotten held over until today. Last week, when the papers were hinting that HP subcontractor, Bryan Wagner would be testifying for the prosecution, here's why:

Bryan Wagner, who faces federal identity theft and conspiracy charges, is accused of posing as a journalist to access the reporter's private phone records as part of the computer and printer maker's ill-fated attempt to ferret out the source of boardroom leaks to the media. The way Wagner was charged Wednesday - he agreed to waive grand jury proceedings - suggests he's likely cooperating with investigators aiming for more high-profile targets, said Matthew Jacobs, a former federal prosecutor in San Francisco who is now in private practice.

"The government likes to start at the lowest point in the chain of responsibility and flip people," Jacobs said. "What it signals is that the government is trying to build the case against those more senior.

More on Wagner's fate via The Sacramento Bee.

-- MDT

Labels: Bryan Wagner, HP, identity theft, indictment, pretexting