Stalker claiming to be Tim Cook's wife, sends pics of loaded gun to Apple CEO

Apple has been granted a temporary restraining order against a woman who has been allegedly harassing and stalking CEO Tim Cook since late 2020, the Tech giant said. 

The company had requested the restraining order on January 20 and it was granted the following day. The company made the order public on Monday. In its application for the restraining order, Apple stated that the 45-year-old woman from California repeatedly claimed on Twitter to be Tim Cook's wife and mother to twin children with him. 

The Apple CEO is unmarried and does not have any children. He has been openly gay since coming out in 2014.

The company claimed that the stalker emailed Cook roughly 200 times between October 2020 and mid-November 2020 that  "showed a significant escalation in tone, becoming threatening and highly disturbing." In some of these emails, the woman sent Cook photos of a loaded handgun that she purchased, as well as a photo of ammunition, Apple alleged. 

In 2021, the woman drove from her home in McLean, Virginia, to Cook's residence in Palo Alto, California, and requested to speak with him, the filing says. When the Palo Alto Police Department approached, she told the officers she was staying in town and that she "could get violent," according to the document. However, Police did not find weapons in her vehicle.

The woman has also allegedly threatened to burn down Cook's house in recent tweets. Moreover, in an email sent to Cook in mid-December, she offered to "forget and forgive all" in exchange for a payment of $500 million, reports claim.

Stalker armed, intends to locate Cook again: Apple

Apple said the woman has been opening fraudulent corporations in California, New York, and Virginia, and listing Cook as its director, corporate officer, or agent for service of process. She even listed Cook's home address or corporate Apple offices as contact addresses for these corporations.

Apple added in the filing that it believes the woman "may be armed and is still in the South Bay Area and intends to return to Apple's CEO's residence or locate him otherwise in the near future."

The restraining order bans the woman from possessing any guns or ammunition, from interacting with Cook or any other Apple employees, and from entering any Apple properties. Although the stalker's current whereabouts are unclear, violating the restraining order could result in her being imprisoned and fined $1,000. The restraining order expires on March 29, when a hearing is scheduled in the matter.

In early 2020, Apple was also granted a restraining order against a different person who allegedly harassed and stalked Cook.