US Seeks Pen Register Order for Phones in Structuring and Money Laundering Probe

The United States filed an application seeking a Pen Register and Trap and Trace (PRTT) order targeting specific phone numbers. The investigation focuses on alleged structuring, money laundering, and related offenses. The case is docketed as 26-xr-90802 in the Northern District of California.

The court has not yet assigned a judge. The government moved to seal parts of the record, and the court issued an order on that motion on May 12, 2026. The details of the underlying investigation remain under seal, limiting public information about the scope and targets.

The case remains active, with no further public filings or hearings reported. The PRTT order would allow the government to collect dialing, routing, addressing, and signaling information from the targeted phone numbers, a tool often used in investigations involving financial crimes.

The court’s order on the sealing motion suggests a sensitivity to protecting investigative details at this stage. The absence of a judge assignment and limited docket activity indicate the case is in early procedural phases.

The government’s pursuit of electronic surveillance reflects a broader strategy to trace illicit financial flows in suspected money laundering schemes.