Founder of pcTattletale Spyware App Pleads Guilty in Federal Stalkerware Case
Published
Key Takeaways
- Federal Conviction: Bryan Fleming, founder of pcTattletale, pleaded guilty to charges of computer hacking, conspiracy, and advertising wire interception devices.
- Historic Prosecution: This marks the first successful U.S. federal prosecution of a stalkerware operator since 2014.
- Investigative Breakthrough: HSI utilized undercover operations and search warrants to uncover Fleming’s explicit marketing of the software for spousal surveillance.
Bryan Fleming, the founder of the now-defunct surveillance app pcTattletale, entered a guilty plea in federal court on Tuesday. Fleming admitted to charges of computer hacking and the unlawful advertising of surveillance software in a San Diego federal court.
The plea concludes a multi-year investigation led by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), which began in mid-2021.
Details of the Bryan Fleming Hacking Charges
The investigation revealed that Fleming operated pcTattletale from his Michigan home, marketing the software as a tool to surreptitiously monitor spouses and romantic partners.
Court documents cited by TechCrunch indicate that HSI agents executed a search warrant at Fleming's residence in late 2022 after undercover operations confirmed his intent to promote the product for illegal purposes.
Specifically, agents communicated with Fleming while posing as affiliate marketers, obtaining evidence that he explicitly positioned the spyware as a method to "catch a cheater."
Implications for Stalkerware Legal Case Precedents
The platform, which allowed users to covertly intercept communications and location data, collapsed in 2024 following a data breach that defaced its website and exposed the data of over 138,000 users.
By targeting the operator directly, federal authorities are signaling that the sale of tools designed for non-consensual monitoring will carry severe legal consequences. Fleming is scheduled for sentencing later this year.
HSI said Fleming is one of several investigated vendors who sell and advertise consumer-grade spyware.
The pcTattletale founder's guilty plea represents a significant victory for privacy advocates, as it is the first federal conviction of a stalkerware operator in over a decade. Meanwhile, the U.S. Treasury recently lifted sanctions on executives previously linked to Intellexa and the Predator spyware.
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