Both the FBI and Meade deny that there were any orders to conduct searches. The agent says he was only following Geek Squad's reporting policy, which also forbids payments from law enforcement. However, the FBI also acknowledges that it paid Meade $500 for an unmentioned reason -- the question is whether or not this was an after-the-fact reward or an incentive.

It's far from certain that the accusation will stick. The defense could have valid concerns that the FBI violated a constitutional right... or it could be blowing smoke to distract from damning evidence. Either way, this isn't going to quiet fears (however overblown) that law enforcement might use device repair shops as fishing nets for crooks.