Nassau County Police: Texts, Tweets Being Investigated In Nassau County Executive's Sexting Scandal
NASSAU COUNTY, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- There's new information in the sexting scandal involving Nassau County Executive Ed Mangano.
Nassau County Police told CBS2 that the texts and tweets are being investigated and Mangano did file a complaint about social media impersonation attempts against him.
Authorities also say public relations consultant Karin Murphy Caro reported being victimized in the alleged spoof.
She said in a statement to CBS2 that the texts and tweets were "fabricated."
"To be clear, the alleged text messages and tweets are fabricated, false and never happened. I never communicated with the county executive via text message, nor even have his cellphone number. Both the Nassau County Executive and I have been maliciously attacked and have both been victims of a terrible crime," Murphy Caro said.
In a CBS2 exclusive Saturday, Mangano defended himself in an interview with Marcia Kramer.
"I am a victim here. I am being hacked. This is a lie and I will bring every legal action to catch this person and bring them to justice," Mangano told CBS2.
Mangano claims he has enemies that are out to get him, hacking into his phone, using a technique he calls "spoofing." He said this tactic enabled someone to send very lurid texts to several women, making it seem like the messages came from his cell phone.
"I don't deny that's my phone number, but it could be hacked, it's hoaxed — it is hacked," Mangano said.
There is one purporting to be from an "Ed M" that begins with the words, "I'd lay you down." The rest is so X-rated CBS2 decided not to elaborate.
Another text claims to be from "Ed Mangano" and is followed by three cat emojis with hearts for eyes. It's unusual because it had a back and forth conversation with a woman.
The reported conversation appears as the following:
"I really just want you next to me, nothing else. Just that."
"I miss being alone with you."
"I wanted to see you," replies the woman
"Sorry I'm tired."
"Tomorrow?" she asked.
"I will let you know," the mystery texter answers.
"I want you to (blank) my brains out even if it's in my car again," she said.
"Sorry left early. Something came up."
And there is yet another text from Mangano's number that begins, "I meant I hope you never stop loving me. If you woke up one day and didn't love me anymore, my world would end… I'd go crazy not having you."
"This is so disgusting, this allegation is outrageous and disgusting and hurtful and it did not come from me. These words did not come from me. It was not done on my phone. It could only be done by a hacker, period. I am a victim here. That is the truth and now this will be turned over to the police," Mangano told Kramer.
Former FBI Agent and Security Expert Manny Gomez said that technology exists to hack an account. Gomez did raise questions regarding the texts which include a back and forth conversation.
"Common sense dictates that if they're having a conversation about an intimate moment in one of their vehicles where only they two would know about and they continue having that conversation as if the occurrence really happened, then that doesn't seem to me like it's an act of hacking or spoofing," Gomez said.
"Bold face lie. It has never, ever, occurred. I can't be more clearer on this issue. Never, ever has occurred," Mangano said.
The situation was complicated by the fact that a tweet of one of the texts reportedly turned up briefly on the Twitter page of one of the women.
"My fear was abandonment. His fear was exposure. This is how we settle," the tweet read.
When contacted by CBS2, the woman said her Twitter feed had been hacked.
Kramer asked Mangano, "Who would want to go after you?"
"Political opponents, I don't know, a warped individual. I don't know, Marcia" he answered. "This is hack job or a hoax and it is very damaging and I will not stand for it and it will be turned over to the police."
A spokesman for Mangano said the investigation is "active" and that the police electronics squad is trying to identify who used the county executive's phone number to send out the texts to various women.