**pcTattletale Founder Pleads Guilty in Rare Stalkerware Prosecution**

Bryan Fleming, the founder of pcTattletale, a company that created and marketed surveillance software to secretly monitor romantic partners, has pleaded guilty to federal charges in a San Diego court. This marks one of the few successful US prosecutions of a stalkerware operator, and it's a significant case not just for its rarity, but also for the brazen way Fleming operated his business.

pcTattletale, which was based out of Fleming's luxurious home in Michigan, offered software that could be used to secretly spy on people's phones and computers. The company marketed itself as "employee and child monitoring software" designed to "protect your business and family," but the reality is that it was a tool for stalkerware - secretly tracking the location and activities of people without their knowledge or consent.

Fleming openly promoted pcTattletale via YouTube videos filmed at his own home, marketing the software as a way to "catch a cheater." The company's website boasted that its software was "100% Undetectable," which raises an obvious question - why would stalkerware need to be undetectable if it were only used for legitimate purposes like monitoring employees or children? Surely a parent or employer would only use such software with the explicit permission and knowledge of their child or staff member?

The reality is that stalkerware can also be used for tracking people's location and activities without their consent. In fact, for many purchasers this will have been the only reason they bought the software - to spy on spouses and domestic partners without their knowledge.

Law enforcement began looking into pcTattletale in 2021, when an agent went undercover as an affiliate marketer and then as a customer. Fleming provided promotional banners advertising pcTattletale as a way to "catch a cheater," noting in emails that "there are a lot more women wanting to catch their man then the other way around." Court documents revealed that when one customer worried pcTattletale would show up on their boyfriend's credit card receipt, Fleming reassured them purchases could appear as a "generic computer scan" instead.

The investigation ultimately led to the shutdown of pcTattletale in May 2024, after a hacker exploited vulnerabilities in the company's infrastructure and defaced its website. The breach leaked gigabytes of data, including details of over 138,000 customer accounts.

Fleming claimed through his lawyer that he "genuinely had no idea the product might violate any laws." However, this claim looks questionable when you consider the software was marketed for the purposes of illegal surveillance. Fleming faces up to 15 years in prison and will be sentenced on April 3, 2026.

Law enforcement agencies have indicated that pcTattletale is just one of several stalkerware operations currently under investigation - news which may spell bad news not just for those who run such companies, but also for those who have purchased spyware from them in the past. Using stalkerware to spy on others without their permission is never acceptable.

For those concerned that someone might be using spyware against them, the Coalition Against Stalkerware website offers advice and information on how to protect yourself and your loved ones.