DALLAS - Federal authorities say a Canadian man tracked a former co-worker from Florida to Dallas before being arrested on two counts of aggravated stalking.
Aggravated stalking indictment
What we know:
A federal grand jury has indicted Canadian national Nikolay Sapov on two counts of felony stalking. He's been accused of stalking a victim multiple times in Dallas and Florida from 2023 to 2026.
Officials say Sapov and the victim met while working at the Miami Open tennis tournament in 2021. Sapov initially made the victim uncomfortable, but her father advised her to be nice to him as he was likely on the autism spectrum.
A criminal complaint against Sapov states he opened an LLC in her name shortly after they met, and became obsessed with Argentina, where the victim is from, and attempted to learn Spanish.
Sapov gave the victim unwanted gifts, such as a star-naming gift in 2023 sent to the vicitm's apartment despite her not giving Sapov her address. He allegedly attempted to get the victim to travel to Canada, where he primarily lived, to return a bag he left at the Miami Open.
Star-naming gift sent in 2023
Sapov allegedly tracked her and her family's social media accounts and addresses despite the victim never giving Sapov that information.
The criminal complaint shows text messages and emails Sapov sent to the victim, professing his love for her. The victim later began ignoring and muting his messages.
In June 2026, the victim found Sapov at her apartment complex in Dallas despite never giving him her address. Dallas police officers completed a stalking offense report on June 23 for a man matching Sapov's description, and he was released.
Sapov during June 23, 2026 incident
One day after the first incident, Sapov reappeared at the victim's apartment wearing a rubber mask before fleeing when confronted by a neighbor through their Ring doorbell camera.
Another neighbor told police a man matching Sapov's description had been walking around the complex for two weeks prior. The victim, fearing for her life, stayed in a hotel and purchased a firearm for protection against Sapov.
Sapov later sent AI-generated images of himself and the victim to her following the Dallas incident.
The FBI linked Sapov to two previous stalking incidents with the victim: one in 2025 when she was living at her parent's house in Orlando, and another in 2023 when the victim was living in Plantation, Florida.
Police were able to link Sapov to all three incidents due to his clothing and a Papa John's pizza purchase made during the 2023 incident that was found near the victim's apartment.
Based on Sapov's past behavior towards the victim, Dallas Police obtained an arrest warrant for Sapov on the stalking charges. He was detained on August 22, 2026, by U.S. Customs and Border Patrol while traveling on an Amtrak train to Canada.
Police found images of the victim and notes on the victim's address on Sapov's phone following his arrest. A Flipper Zero electronic device was also found in his possession, which he had at the time of the 2023 incident in Orlando.
What they're saying:
"No individual has the right to terrorize another human being or shatter their sense of safety inside their own home," said U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould. "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 behavior across borders will be met with swift, uncompromising federal justice."
"Stalking and targeted harassment can have a profound impact, disrupting victims’ lives and leaving them feeling vulnerable," said FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock. "The FBI remains committed to identifying and holding accountable those who use threats and intimidation to instill fear. We will continue working with our law enforcement partners to protect the members of our communities and pursue justice for victims."
What's next:
If convicted, Sapov faces a maximum of five years in federal prison for each count of felony stalking, followed by a supervised release and potential financial penalties.
The Source: Information in this story comes from the U.S. Department of Justice.