Twin Cities computer forensics expert now under FBI investigation

A Twin Cities computer forensics expert under fire over allegations he embellished his educational and professional background is now the subject of an FBI investigation.

Mark Lanterman, chief technology officer for Minneapolis-based Computer Forensic Services, has served as an expert witness in hundreds of court cases and assisted in police investigations.

Last week, the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office said it had flagged a handful of cases that could be affected by Lanterman’s work with law enforcement. Now, the office is sending out a new round of disclosures on 10 cases, saying that the FBI is involved.

Among the issues raised with Lanterman’s history is the inability so far to verify his education at Upsala College in New Jersey, a liberal arts college that permanently closed in 1995 after it went bankrupt.

Lanterman has said he tried unsuccessfully to retrieve his transcripts from Felician University, which oversees Upsala College’s academic records.

Another concern raised in one court case was that Lanterman claimed to have completed postgraduate work at Harvard University when, in reality, he took a certification course with no academic prerequisites through Harvard Online.

The Hennepin County Attorney’s Office said it has received a copy of Lanterman’s certificate through that program, but overall, it has been “unable to fully verify Mr. Lanterman’s educational and employment background.”

“We are continuing our review for additional current or past cases that may be affected,” the attorney’s office said. “We will continue to update our disclosures on potentially impacted cases as needed.”