SAN JOSE, Calif. — Federal officials say a Nevada man has pleaded guilty to sending more than 27 million spam messages to Facebook users.
U.S. Attorney Melinda Haag said Monday that 47-year-old Sanford Wallace of Las Vegas admitted in federal court San Jose, California, to accessing about 500,000 Facebook accounts and sending the unsolicited ads disguised as friend requests over a three-month period.
Wallace acknowledged accessing Facebook's computer network in order to send the spam messages on three occasions between November 2008 and February 2009.
Haag says Wallace also admitted that he violated a court order not to access Facebook's computer network. He was charged with fraud and criminal contempt.
Wallace is free on bond and scheduled to be sentenced in December. He faces a $250,000 fine and up to three years in prison.