The founder of a US-based spyware company, whose surveillance products allow customers to spy on the phones and computers of unsuspecting victims, pleaded guilty to federal charges linked to long-running operations.
pcTattletale founder Bryan Fleming entered a guilty plea in San Diego federal court on Tuesday to charges of computer hacking, selling and advertising surveillance software for unauthorized use, and conspiracy.
The request follows a years-long investigation by agents with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), a unit of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement. HSI began investigating pcTattletale in mid-2021 as part of a wider investigation into the consumer-grade surveillance software industry, also known as “stalkerware.”
This is the first successful US federal prosecution of a stalkerware operator in more than a decade, following the 2014 indictment and guilty plea of the creator of a phone surveillance app called StealthGenie. Fleming’s conviction could pave the way for further federal investigations and prosecutions against spyware users, but also those who simply advertise and sell secret surveillance software.
HSI says pcTattletale is one of the stalkerware websites it is investigating.
An ICE spokesperson did not immediately comment when contacted by TechCrunch, nor did a representative from the US Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California, which brought the charges against Fleming.
Fleming’s attorney, Marcus Bourassa, did not respond to a request for comment Tuesday.
pcTattletale is a remote surveillance application that Fleming has controlled since at least 2016. Stalkerware applications like pcTattletale allow ordinary consumers to purchase software that can track people and data without their knowledge, including romantic partners and coupleswhich is illegal in the United States and many other countries.
Once physically planted on a person’s phone or computer (usually with knowledge of the victim’s passcode or login), the app will continue to upload a copy of the victim’s information, including messages, photos, and location data, to pcTattletale’s servers and make the data accessible to whoever planted the spyware.
Fleming kill pcTattletale in 2024 after the data breach, which saw a hackers deface company websites and steal reams of data from the server, including identifiable information from customers and victims. More than 138,000 customers who have registered to use pcTattletale have their breached information shared with data breach notification site Have I been Pwned.
At the time, Fleming told TechCrunch that his company was “out of business and completely out of business,” after deleting the contents of pcTattletale’s servers.
Despite his death, federal agents are far into the investigation of Fleming’s illegal spyware business.
Feds search founder’s $1.2M home
HSI began investigating pcTattletale in June 2021 after discovering more than 100 stalkerware websites offering surveillance products, many of which advertised legitimate software uses, such as monitoring children or employees.
pcTattletale stands out because it specializes in advertising spyware for “secretly spying on spouses and partners,” HSI special agent Nick Jones wrote in affidavit 2022 to support a search warrant for Fleming’s home. The affidavit was opened in early December 2025 ahead of Fleming’s anticipated plea hearing.
Crucially for investigators, Fleming is believed to be operating pcTattletale from his home in Bruce Township, Michigan, within reach of US law enforcement – unlike stalkerware operators overseas who are not.
Unlike some stalkerware operators who protect their identities to avoid legal and reputational risks from working with spyware, Fleming is unscrupulous about how he advertises pcTattletale. At video sent on YouTube, Fleming can be seen at the front promoting pcTattletale as the creator and founder.
According to the affidavit, HSI obtained a warrant in 2022 that allowed it to search Fleming’s email account. HSI said the emails show that Fleming “knowingly assisted customers who wanted to spy on non-consenting adults and non-employees.”
Federal agents later surveilled Fleming’s home to confirm it was in fact him.
Jones also went undercover to gather evidence, posing as an affiliate marketer by pretending to promote spyware in exchange for a cut of his earnings. As a result of this operation, Jones exchanged emails with Fleming, the founder of pcTattletale provided images intended for banner ads that promoted spyware as a way to “catch cheaters”, which made it clear Fleming wanted to market products for illegal purposes.
In November 2022, HSI obtained permission from a US judge to search Fleming’s home, which the agent raided, seizing an unknown amount of property. Agents also obtained records related to Fleming’s bank and PayPal accounts, which had more than $600,000 in transactions at the end of 2021.
The search warrant was filed under seal because of concerns that Fleming might tamper with or destroy evidence. Fleming began selling the house for $1.2 million, per public record.
Fleming’s conviction is a victory for privacy advocates and campaigners working to combat the spread of stalkerware and raise awareness of its dangers.
Eva Galperin, director of cybersecurity at the Electronic Frontier Foundation and co-founder of the Coalition Against Stalkerware, which has been investigating and fighting stalkerware for years, commented on Fleming’s request when reached by TechCrunch.
“One of the most surprising aspects of this case is that stalkware companies like pcTattletale are open,” Galperin said. “That’s because the people behind these companies rarely face any consequences for selling tools they say are clearly used to monitor other people’s devices without their knowledge or consent.”
“We hope this case changes the risk calculus for stalkerware makers,” Galperin said.
Fleming is expected to be sentenced later this year.
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If you or someone you know needs help, the National Domestic Violence Hotline (1-800-799-7233) provides free, confidential support 24/7 for victims of domestic violence and abuse. If you are in an emergency, call 911. The Coalition Against Stalkerware have resources if you think your phone has been compromised by spyware.