Apple Granted Restraining Order on Tim Cook's Stalker

Apple has been granted a temporary restraining order on a man accused of stalking CEO Tim Cook.

Medium reporter Dave Gershgorn shared the news on Twitter yesterday:

Apple CEO Tim Cook has a stalker who has gotten onto his property TWICE and won't stop contacting him/ other Apple employees, per court filings and a testimony


Here's an excerpt from Apple's request for a restraining order. The company notes that Rakesh "Rocky" Sharma has left disturbing voicemails for Cook and trespassed on his property twice.

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I, William Burns, am a Global Security Specialist, Executive Protection, at Apple lnc. I am over the age of 18, and if called to testify, I can competently testify to the following information:

As part of my duties at Apple, I regularly interact with and provide security for Apple's Executive Team (listed here: https://www.apple.com/Ieadership), including Apple's Chief Executive Officer ("CEO"), I work closely with Apple's Executive Team, and as part of those duties I often accompany Apple's executives to and from residences, including but not limited to, the residence of Apple's CEO.

As part of my duties, I am aware of threats made against Apple's Executive Team, and have been made aware of threats made by Respondent, Rakesh "Rocky" Sharma against Apple, including its CEO. Specifically, I am aware of events contained within this statement. On September 25 and October 2, 2019, Mr. Sharma called an Apple executive's phone and left disturbing voicemails.


Mr. Sharma's conduct escalated from leaving voicemails to attempted to stalk Apple's CEO by physically trespassing on the CEO's personal property. At around 10:30 p.m. on December 4. 2019, Mr. Sharma trespassed on the Apple executive's property located in Palo Alto, entering the property through the closed gate without permission, and Mr. Sharma attempted to deliver flowers and a bottle of champagne. Shortly thereafter, Mr. Sharma continued to tag the Apple executive on his Titter account, which included sexualized and inappropriate photos of Mr. Sharma with reference to the Apple executive. At around 9:00 p.m. on January 15, 2020, Mr. Sharma again trespassed on the Apple executive's property, again entering the property through the gate without permission and rang the doorbell. The Palo Alto Police Department was contacted, but Mr. Sharma had left the property prior before the police arrived.
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In the portion of the filing where Apple is asked if the respondent used or threatened to use a gun or other weapon, Apple wrote:

"As noted in detail attachments 4b and 8c, Respondent Sharma has stated that he knows where members of Apple's Executive Team resides, and stated that 'I don't use ammunition but I know people who do.' This statement is a direct threat to use firearms against Apple employees."

The temporary restraining order is set to expire on March 3 at which date a hearing has been scheduled. Please download the iClarified app or follow iClarified on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and RSS for updates.