Convicted spyware maker Bryan Fleming avoids jail at sentencing
By Zack Whittaker
Published on April 6, 2026.
Bryan Fleming, the first convicted spyware maker in over a decade, was sentenced to time served and a $5,000 fine in a San Diego federal court after pleading guilty to federal charges related to running his surveillance company, pcTattletale. Fleming admitted to making, selling, and advertising spyware for unlawful uses. This conviction marks the first successful prosecution of a spyware manufacturer by the U.S. Department of Justice since 2014, potentially opening the door to future prosecutions. A data breach in 2024 revealed the scale of the long-running operation, revealing that more than 138,000 customers had paid the company to spy on them.
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