But understand: if you're on the periphery of an investigation, you're running a chance of raising a red flag. It's well within your rights, and ultimately you can't incriminate yourself by being silent. But you could substantially add delay, frustration, and lawyer costs to the whole experience.
Another way to not lie is to speak the truth. In the specific example from the blog post, there's no reason to lie--taking that call was not illegal, so there's no reason to lie.
My question is: how often to federal prosecutions go to trial based only on a false statement trap? I have no doubt that agents use it as a "cherry on top" of other charges, but I'm assuming most folks here are worried about surprise or "gotcha" prosecutions--not actually worried that their criminal ways will be exposed.
So how often do federal agents clear someone of any substantive wrongdoing, but still prosecute them based solely on a false statement trap? I would be surprised if it ever happens.
Edit: Downvotes but no answers are a bummer; I'm asking a question here.