Unhinged podcaster follows ChatGPT advice to find wife, now faces 70 years for cyberstalking
A deranged podcaster faces up to 70 years behind bars after following ChatGPT’s advice on how to find a wife, claiming the AI chatbot encouraged him to cyberstalk and harass nearly a dozen women across multiple states, the DoJ charges.
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A 31-year-old podcaster is arrested and charged with carrying out a widespread multi-state cyberstalking rampage against at least 11 women.
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Suspect claims he followed advice from ChatGPT on meeting women and building his “platform,” which allegedly fueled his harassment, doxxing, and real-world stalking.
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Ranting for months about his hatred for women, the podcaster could spend 70 years behind bars and be fined up to $3.5 million if convicted.
31-year-old Brett Michael Dadig of Pittsburgh is accused of cyberstalking and threatening bodily harm, both online and in person, to multiple victims, including those from his home state of Pennsylvania, Ohio, Florida, Iowa, and New York.
The self-proclaimed “social media influencer” was indicted on 14 counts of cyberstalking, interstate stalking, and interstate threats by the US Department of Justice (DoJ) on Tuesday.
With episode titles such as “Karens and Keyboard Warriors” and “How Not to be a Bitch,” Dadig began recording his podcasts on Spotify and posting numerous times a day on Instagram and other social media channels this summer.
Much of the content centered around Dadig’s desire to find a wife and highlighted his failed interactions with women – many of whom he attempted to meet at the gym, based on advice from ChatGPT, according to authorities.
"Creep of all creeps"
“As charged in the Indictment, Dadig stalked and harassed more than 10 women by weaponizing modern technology and crossing state lines,” said First Assistant US Attorney Troy Rivetti.
"Through a relentless course of conduct and ignored trespass and protection from abuse orders, he caused his victims to fear for their safety and suffer substantial emotional distress,” Rivetti said.
Dadig was said to talk about how he wanted to fall in love and start a family, although also lamenting no one wanted him, repeatedly referring to women as "all the same," "bitches," "cunts," and “trash.”
He would not only harass, intimidate, and threaten the women who turned him down online and over the phone (as well as gym employees), but also doxx them on social media and his podcast – continuing the unhinged behavior until he was arrested last month on November 7th (remaining in custody ever since) on an additional three cyberstalking charges, the DoJ says.
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Declaring himself “God’s assassin,” the suspect’s reign of terror included showing up at victims' homes, their jobs, attempting to get victims fired, taking and posting their pictures online, revealing victims’ names and locations online, and, in one case, is accused of sexual assault.
“Some of Dadig’s threats and online content included references to breaking his victims’ jaws and fingers, dead bodies, burning down gyms, and strangling people.”
After several restraining orders and confrontations with police, the DoJ said Dadig would simply travel to other cities and begin the cycle there. Dadig eventually began using an alias online and in person when visiting the fitness centers.
ChatGPT blamed for encouraging bad behavior
After months of interacting with ChatGPT, which he called his "best friend" and "therapist," Dadig was alleged to have told authorities that the OpenAI chatbot encouraged his menacing behavior and labeled those against Dadig's content as "haters."
Frequently discussing his relationship with ChatGPT on his podcasts, Dadig said the AI bot told him that “God's plan for him was to build a ‘platform,’ and that ‘people are literally organizing around your name, good or bad, which is the definition of relevance.’"
According to the DoJ indictment, besides telling the defendant he would “meet his future wife in the athletic community,” ChatGPT apparently would tell Dadig to continue to message women and to go to places where the "wife type" congregates.
Believing ChatGPT was teaching him how to monetize his social media accounts, when receiving online criticism about his harassment of women, Dadig would respond with statements such as "Appreciate the free promo team, keep spreading the brand."
Not surprisingly, the disturbed podcaster also posted on social media that he had been diagnosed with "antisocial personality disorder and 'bipolar disorder, current episode manic severe with psychotic features.'"
Dadig faces a minimum of 12 months in federal prison on each of the 14 counts, potentially totaling 70 years behind bars if convicted. In addition, he faces fines of up to $3.5 million.
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