Facebook ‘Spam King’ pleads guilty after sending more than 27 million messages

A man dubbed the “Spam King” after sending 27 million messages to Facebook users is facing a possible prison sentence and hefty fine.

US Attorney Melinda Haag said Sanford Wallace of Las Vegas admitted to having accessed around 500,000 Facebook accounts between November 2008 and February 2009. Wallace has further been accused of violating a court order preventing him from accessing Facebook’s computer network. The contempt charge is punishable by determination of the court.

The scam artist collected Facebook users’ account information by way of sending “phishing” messages, tricking users into providing their passwords.

As the posts came from a supposedly trustworthy source, many users clicked on the links contained in them, which directed them to websites which paid Wallace for each visitor.

Wallace was ordered to pay Facebook $711 million in civil damages in late October 2009, and later filed for bankruptcy.

Wallace is now out on bond and is scheduled for a sentencing on December. 7 by District Judge Edward J. Davila. Back in 2009, Wallace was barred from accessing Facebook following a lawsuit from the social network.

Wallace’s lawyer, William Burns, has not commented on Wallace’s plea as of yet.