Writing of the Esquire article
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Sometime around early summer in 1971, this dude, Ron Rosenbaum was sneaking
around, getting in touch with the blind kids, and interviewing them. Unfortunately,
because I was in college and this happened while I was in class, I didn't get
the change to tell these kids not to mention me when talking to this writer.
Sure enough, this writer contacted me, and I reluctantly consented to talking
with him, but I was really paranoid at the time, because of all the busts going
on. Apparently the blind kids told Ron just about everything I did, naturally
without my permission. At that point, I had already stopped hacking from my home
phone, but had access to a phone in Los Gatos that had a very strange quirk. See
the section on What we discovered about Ma Bell for details.
Anyway, I briefly talked to this Rosenbaum dude who didn't even tell me what the
blind kids told him, and without checking with me, went and printed it. Some info
was correct, other info was absolutely false.
I get word that this article was out, hurry down to the local newsstand to grab
a copy. While reading it, my jaw dropped. I was appalled at all the mistakes in
the article and how sensationalized it was. I know now, that I would inevitably
be picked up by the FBI, it was just a matter of time. I immediately went home
and ditched my super automated blue box, notes and anything else that pointed
me to this.
It took longer than I thought for the authorities to contact me. But all around
me, people were going down, getting supeona from the grand jury. Then, in a single
day, a major sweep took place, and 4 people from Seattle, 3 people from San Jose,
and 5 people from LA got busted all at once and within minutes of each other.
I wasn't picked up yet, but know it was coming soon, so I continued with my classes
in college, trying not to let it bother me. Some reporters managed to contact
a close friend, who talked to a reporter, and gave me the reporter's number.
The Esquire article had a serious impact on Ma Bell. It dramatically raised the
incidence of toll fraud, and it was impossible to tell how much money they lost.
I chastised the blind kids for even talking to Ron, but Ron contacted them before
I had a chance to tell the kids not to talk to him.