New York Man Pleads Guilty To Extensive Cyberstalking Campaign

Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Brian A. Benczkowski, Assistant Attorney General for the Criminal Division, announced that DAVID WALDMAN pled guilty today to conducting an extensive cyberstalking and threats campaign that targeted a woman he dated for several months in 2014.  WALDMAN pled guilty before U.S. Magistrate Court Judge Robert W. Lehrburger.

Beginning in April 2014 and shortly after WALDMAN and the victim ended their relationship, WALDMAN began an extensive cyberstalking campaign that continued intermittently until the date of WALDMAN’s arrest.  Over the course of almost four years, WALDMAN sent the victim hundreds of text messages, voicemail messages, and email messages, and made voluminous posts on a variety of online platforms, in which he claimed, among other assertions, that she had been diagnosed with bipolar and narcissistic personality disorder, used drugs, and fabricated claims that she had been a victim of child sexual abuse.  In his online communications, WALDMAN also repeatedly threatened to show up at the victim’s apartment and office and threatened to injure, torture, and sexually assault her.  WALDMAN also sent email messages to the victim’s employers, accusing her of being a “habitual drug user,” and claiming that he would sue her for defamation, theft, illegal trespass, violating HIPAA, and engaging in other “illegal behaviors.” 

Over the course of the alleged cyberstalking campaign, the victim obtained multiple state court orders of protection against WALDMAN.

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WALDMAN, 49, of Inwood, New York, pled guilty to one count of cyberstalking, which carries a maximum sentence of five years.  The statutory maximum penalties are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant would be determined by the judge.

Mr. Berman praised the outstanding investigative work of the Special Agents with the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York.

This case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit.  Assistant United States Attorney Nicholas Chiuchiolo and Senior Trial Attorney Mona Sedky of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section are in charge of the prosecution.

The charges contained in the Complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.