Re: FBI make federal case out of school keylogger
The costs probably aren't as extreme as your would have thought.
The article implies 6 classes which implies minimum of 6 professors plus 6 TAs, factor in 2-3 IT staff, 5 friends/accomplices means approximately 22 interview (at minimum). Each interview takes 2-3 hours (1 for the interview and at least an hour of faffing and transport). Each interview has 2-3 FBI
That implies 22*3*3 hours just for interviews = 198 FBI hours, almost $20k on just interviews @$100/hr (which is reasonable for a mid level FBI + tax + overtime + holiday + 401k etc). This doesn't included the FBI IT techs, the searches of properties, the investigations, the re-interviews, the incorrect interviews (there will have been innocent people and staff from other courses). Then factor in the overheads, rent, hotels, cars. - maybe 5k
Then you have the cost of preparing for trial - FBI lawyers, re interviews, preparing - probably the same 20k again
66.5k seems padded, but not by much