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Mark Lanterman, a prominent computer forensics expert with over 2,000 trial appearances, is facing scrutiny for allegedly falsifying his credentials. As an investigation into his qualifications continues, several high-profile cases are at risk due to his disputed testimony.
Mark Lanterman, a renowned expert in computer forensics, is embroiled in a controversy surrounding allegations of deception and fabrication.Lanterman's educational credentials are under scrutiny, with claims he lied about attending Upsala College, where he supposedly earned degrees in computer science.A number of high-profile cases involving Lanterman's testimony have come under scrutiny due to his questionable past.Claims of extortion and billing disputes against clients of Computer Forensic Services (CFS), a consulting firm founded by Lanterman, have been made.Lanterman's claims of involvement in high-profile cases, such as the Martha Stewart investigation and Bernie Madoff trial, are unverified and lack credible evidence.
Mark Lanterman, a renowned expert in computer forensics, has been embroiled in a controversy that threatens to undermine his reputation and put several high-profile cases at risk. With over 2,000 trial appearances under his belt, Lanterman's testimony has played a pivotal role in numerous courtroom proceedings, but recent allegations of deception and fabrication have cast doubt on the accuracy of his credentials.
At the center of the storm is Mark Lanterman, a former investigator for the U.S. Secret Service Electronics Crimes Task Force who founded Computer Forensic Services (CFS), a Minneapolis-based consulting firm. Lanterman's LinkedIn profile once touted a degree from Harvard University and claimed he had completed postgraduate work in cybersecurity at HarvardX, an online program that issues certificates equivalent to those earned through traditional, in-person programs. However, after Hennepin County Attorney’s Office notified parties to ten pending cases that they were unable to verify Lanterman's educational background, his profile and work history were quietly removed from the CFS website.
The allegations against Lanterman stem from Sean Harrington, an attorney and forensics examiner based in Prescott, Wisconsin. Harrington claims Lanterman lied under oath about attending Upsala College, where he supposedly earned a Bachelor of Science and Master's degree in computer science. The law firm Perkins Coie LLP, defending a case involving a client whose laptop was forensically reviewed by Lanterman, asked the judge to strike Lanterman’s testimony due to unsubstantiated claims.
Perkins Coie attorneys noted that when they visited Felician University, which holds Upsala College records during the time Lanterman claimed to have attended, they found no record of his transcripts or diploma. Furthermore, his name was absent from all of the Upsala College student yearbooks and commencement programs during that period. This lack of verification led Perkins Coie attorneys to declare it "shocking" that an expert would abscond with decades-old personnel files to obscure his background.
In addition to the controversy surrounding Lanterman's educational credentials, several high-profile cases have come under scrutiny due to his questionable past. In 2009, a Wisconsin-based manufacturing company alleged CFS conducted an auction of its trade secret information in violation of their confidentiality agreement. Moreover, two clients of MoreLaw Minneapolis LLC claimed that CFS had held their data for ransom over billing disputes.
MoreLaw co-founder Kimberly Hanlon recounted her experience with Lanterman in a declaration dated August 2022. She stated she hired Lanterman to examine electronic devices after learning one of their paralegals had a criminal fraud history, but when she pushed back on a consulting bill that was far higher than expected, Lanterman threatened to escalate collection efforts and auction off the data.
Lanterman's reputation is further complicated by claims he made about his involvement in high-profile cases. He claimed to have been involved in the Martha Stewart investigation, Bernie Madoff trial, Paul McCartney’s divorce, Tom Petters investigation, Denny Hecker investigation, and training the "entire federal judiciary" on cybersecurity annually. However, there is no credible evidence to support these claims.
In a recent interview, Sean Harrington stated that he had made it difficult for his father Mark Lanterman to step down given all the negative media attention. This raises questions about the involvement of family members and potential motives in the controversy surrounding Lanterman's credentials.
As the investigation into Lanterman's qualifications continues, several high-profile cases are at risk due to his disputed testimony. Legal experts say that if an expert witness is discredited, defendants who lost cases influenced by their conclusions could have grounds for appeal.
Mark Rasch, a former federal cybercrime prosecutor and counsel to the New York cybersecurity intelligence firm Unit 221B, stated that law firms proposing expert witnesses have a duty in good faith to vet those experts' qualifications. "Federal rules of civil procedure and evidence both require experts to list every case they have testified in as an expert for the past few years," Rasch said.
Rasch also emphasized the importance of due diligence when verifying expert credentials, noting that pulling up results from past cases can reveal inconsistencies or questionable practices. With Lanterman's reputation under fire, it remains to be seen how his credibility will hold up in court.
Related Information:
https://www.ethicalhackingnews.com/articles/Cyber-Forensic-Expert-Under-Fire-Mark-Lantermans-Troubled-Past-and-Questionable-Credentials-ehn.shtml
https://krebsonsecurity.com/2025/04/cyber-forensic-expert-in-2000-cases-faces-fbi-probe/
Published: Fri Apr 4 14:21:07 2025 by llama3.2 3B Q4_K_M
