Spyware developer pcTattletale is accused of hacking and adware

The founder of a US spying firm, whose surveillance products allow clients to spy on unsuspecting people’s phones and computers, has pleaded guilty to federal charges related to his long-running operation.

pcTattletale founder Bryan Fleming pleaded guilty in federal court in San Diego on Tuesday to charges of computer hacking, selling and advertising surveillance software for illegal use, and conspiracy.

The request follows a multi-year investigation by employees of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), a division within US Immigration and Customs Enforcement. HSI began investigating pcTattletale in mid-2021 as part of a broader investigation into the company’s analysis software industry, also known as “stalkware.”

This is the first successful case in the United States for a stalkerware user in more than a decade, following a 2014 lawsuit and a complaint by the developer. phone monitoring software called StealthGenie. Fleming’s conviction could lead to further government investigations and prosecutions of those who use spyware, as well as those who advertise and sell spyware.

HSI reports that pcTattletale is one of several stalkerware sites under investigation.

An ICE spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request from TechCrunch, nor did a representative for the US Attorney’s office for the Southern District of California, which filed the charges against Fleming.

Fleming’s attorney, Marcus Bourassa, did not respond to a request for comment Tuesday.

pcTattletale was a remote surveillance program that had been under Fleming’s control since at least 2016. Stalkerware programs such as pcTattletale allow ordinary consumers to purchase software that can track people and their data without their knowledge, including lovers and spouseswhich is not allowed in the United States and many other countries.

Once physically planted on a person’s phone or computer (usually with the knowledge of the victim’s passcode or login), the program continuously uploads the victim’s book information, including messages, pictures and data location, to servers pcTattletale and makes the data available to anyone who planted the spyware.

Fleming Close pcTattletale in 2024 following a data breach, which saw a Hackers deface a company’s website and steal information from its servers, including personally identifiable information about its customers and victims. More than 138,000 customers who signed up to use pcTattletale shared fake information. data breach notification page Have I Been Found?.

At the time, Fleming told TechCrunch that his company was “out of business and completely done,” after removing content from pcTattletale’s servers.

Despite the closure, authorities were still investigating Fleming’s illegal espionage business.

Home of founders hunted by Feds for $1.2M

HSI began investigating pcTattletale in June 2021 after finding more than a hundred websites with surveillance products, many of which legitimately advertise the software, such as monitoring children or employees.

pcTattletale was notorious for advertising spyware to “covertly spy on spouses and friends,” wrote HSI special agent Nick Jones in information for 2022 in support of a search warrant for Fleming’s home. The document was published in early December 2025 before Fleming began to respond.

Most important to investigators, Fleming was believed to be using pcTattletale at his home in Bruce Township, Michigan, near US law enforcement officials – unlike many overseas workers who are not.

Unlike other stalkerware operators who protect their personal information to avoid legal risk and a history of working with spyware, Fleming was shy about promoting pcTattletale. In videos were posted on YouTube, Fleming can be seen from his home promoting pcTattletale as its creator and founder.

According to the affidavit, HSI obtained a warrant in 2022 to allow searches of Fleming’s email accounts. HSI said the emails showed that Fleming “knowingly assisted clients who wanted to spy on unlicensed, inactive adults.”

Federal agents later searched Fleming’s home to confirm that it was him.

Jones also went undercover to gather evidence, posing as a salesman under the guise of promoting espionage programs in exchange for the money he earned. As a result of the operation, Jones exchanged emails with Fleming, during which the founder of pcTattletale provided images that were created for banner ads that promoted spyware as a way to “catch a cheater,” which led to Fleming’s knowledge that Fleming wanted to sell his products on illegal products.

By November 2022, HSI had obtained a warrant from a US judge to search Fleming’s home, which the military raided shortly after, seizing an unknown number of items. Agents also obtained Fleming’s bank records and his PayPal account, which had $600,000 in funds at the end of 2021.

The search warrant was issued under seal amid concerns that Fleming might destroy or tamper with evidence. Fleming sold the house for $1.2 million, on the history of all people.

Fleming’s belief is a victory for privacy advocates and campaigners who work to stop 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 researched and fought for years, responded to Fleming’s guilty plea when approached by TechCrunch.

“One of the most interesting things about this is how open stalkware companies like pcTattletale are,” Galperin said. “This is because people in these companies do not have to deal with the problem of selling devices that they claim to be monitoring other people’s devices without their knowledge or consent.”

“I hope this article will change the threat of stalkerware developers,” 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) offers toll-free 24/7 help for victims of domestic violence. If you are in danger, call 911. The Coalition Against Stalkerware they have resources if you think your phone has been compromised by spyware.