Biogenesis: MLB investigators built case using Facebook, BlackBerry IM transcripts

MLB’s investigators used Facebook connections, Blackberry IM transcripts and other electronic means at their disposal to build their case against the players implicated in the Biogenesis scandal, reports the Associated Press.

The league employed roughly 30 people to take part in fact-gathering full time as part of its investigation, and that apparently including digging through social media and phone records to find potential links between players and Biogenesis employees.

According to AP, investigators examined the Facebook pages of Biogenesis founder Anthony Bosch and whistleblower Porter Fischer for posts or friends’ posts that may have mentioned baseball players. Each connection reportedly “led to new loops” that provided investigators with potential leads.

The full extent of the electronic trail the league has compiled is unknown, but it does include personal phone records. When union officials met with the league to discuss suspensions, evidence included transcripts from Bosch’s Blackberry IM conversations, as well as records of his text messages.

Investigators also compiled a fair amount of electronic data as a result of the league’s suits against Biogenesis, Bosch and others. While it’s still possible none of the cases will go all the way to trial, MLB was able to file civil subpoenas requesting information from FedEx, AT&T, T-Mobile, UPS and MetroPCS. Not all the companies have complied, but the league has received data from some of them, per AP.

Some may question the league’s use of subpoenaed information in anything other than the trial it was meant for, but it’s difficult to see how MLB could be punished for doing so.

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