A Canadian man faces stalking charges in the U.S. after allegedly following a former co-worker from Canada to Texas. Nikolay Georgiyevitch Sapov has been indicted on two counts of stalking through interstate travel and stalking through electronic communications, according to a Wednesday release shared by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas. U.S. Customs and Border Protection arrested Sapov in August as he travelled to the U.S. If convicted, Sapov faces up to five years in federal prison on each count, and potential fines. “No individual has the right to terrorize another human being or shatter their sense of safety inside their own home,” U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould said in the release. “From relentless digital harassment to an international stalking campaign that spanned across the globe, this defendant went to chilling lengths to hunt down, disguise himself, and intimidate this victim. This indictment makes our position clear: predatory behaviour across borders will be met with swift, uncompromising federal justice.” None of the allegations have been proven in court. Alleged ‘obsession’ Sapov first met the alleged victim several years ago when they were seasonal player services employees at the Miami Open tennis tournament, according to court filings referenced in the release. Sapov allegedly developed an “obsession” with the alleged victim and would repeatedly contact her outside work hours, the news release said. He is also accused of tracking down her personal and family social media profiles, and sending unwanted gifts and correspondence to her residences. He allegedly travelled to Orlando and Plantation, Fla., to stalk her in 2023 and 2025, the release added. In June 2026, Sapov allegedly travelled from Toronto to Dallas, Texas, where the alleged victim was staying. He then rented a vehicle at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport and found the alleged victim’s gated residential complex, the release said. On June 22, the victim saw Sapov “loitering” near her apartment building, the release states. Local law enforcement and property security responded and issued Sapov a criminal trespass warning. Two days later, a neighbour’s video doorbell captured an individual whose appearance seemed to match Sapov’s, the news release says. He appeared to be standing at the victim’s front door while wearing a full rubber mask to cover his face. The masked individual left after being “confronted” via the doorbell intercom, the release states. Sapov allegedly continued to send unwanted electronic messages to the alleged victim through August, including an AI-generated image showing her posing next to him. On Aug. 22, the U.S. customs agency arrested Sapov on a Texas stalking warrant while he was travelling on an Amtrak entering the United States, the news release said. Officers found electronic equipment and two cellular devices with maps and street names around the alleged victim’s neighbourhood, as well as photographs of women’s shoes displayed in an apparent sexual way, and screenshots of key copying and locksmith companies, according to the release. There were also explicit AI-generated photographs and videos of the alleged victim.
