Tim Cook’s Bizarre Stalker Agrees to Three-Year Restraining Order to Avoid Prison Time

A woman who has been obsessively stalking Tim Cook for over a year has now agreed to stay entirely away from the Apple CEO for at least three years or face criminal charges that could lead to imprisonment.

We first heard of the rather bizarre stalking case earlier this year, in which a Virginia woman had been harassing Cook in a whole variety of ways, some of which were downright terrifying. This included claiming Cook her “destiny” and that he was the father of her twins.

She has also used Cook’s last name, claiming that she is secretly his wife (even though the Apple CEO is openly gay), sent emails applying to be his roommate, and showed up at his residence in Palo Alto trespassing on his property.

Following those incidents, the woman appeared to become more inclined to violence and abuse. She demanded hundreds of millions of dollars, insisted on Twitter that he “move home” to Virginia to be with his family, and sent him photos of a “snub-nosed revolver and cartridges.”

At that point, Apple’s security team filed for a temporary restraining order against the woman, which would bar her from “possessing guns, approaching any Apple employees, including Cook, entering any Apple property, or trespassing at Cook’s Palo Alto home.” A judge granted the order and set a formal hearing for March 29.

Now, following the hearing, the accused stalker has agreed to a three-year restraining order that would prevent her from coming near Tim Cook or contacting him in any way.

According to MarketWatch, the 45-year-old woman, Julie Lee Choi, negotiated a deal with Apple to avoid formal charges. The result is a court order that will require her to refrain from coming with 200 yards of Cook at any time during the next three years. She is also prohibited from attempting to communicate with him through Twitter, email, or any other electronic means.

If Choi violates the terms of the court order, she will likely face criminal charges and probably even prison time.

In September, Apple’s legal action against Choi began when Choi told Cook that she intended to apply to become his “roommate” at his Palo Alto condo, located about 15 miles from Apple Park in Cupertino. However, the stalking goes back to late 2020.

Choi reportedly acknowledged that Cook was a gay man, but that didn’t stop her from continuing to contact him, suggesting that the two were “destined for our lives.”

After Choi showed up outside Cook’s home twice in October and warned that she “could get violent,” Apple’s security team became concerned. It sought a temporary restraining order, contending that Choi “may be armed” and that she “intends to return to Apple’s CEO residence or locate him otherwise in the near future.”

It’s not the first time that Cook has faced stalkers. Two years ago, Apple had to get a restraining order against another individual who was stalking its CEO, similar to this latest case: A 41-year-old San Francisco man began pursuing Cook, first attempting to deliver flowers and champagne to his home before later turning violent and abusive. 

So, it’s no surprise why Apple has to spend a ridiculous amount of money on Cook’s security. His security detail alone reportedly cost $310,000 in 2018. Apple’s company filings last year revealed spending of over $630,000 in overall security measures specifically aimed at protecting its Chief Executive from situations precisely like this.