Fitness competitor jailed for creating 369 Instagram accounts to harass rivals

She wanted revenge against ex-business partner over failed fitness competition

Fitness competitor sentenced to jail for cyberstalking (Pasco County Sheriff's Office)

A fitness competitor who created more than 300 fake Instagram profiles to harass rivals has been sentenced to prison.

Tammy Steffen, 37, was sentenced Friday to 57 months in prison after pleading guilty to federal charges of cyberstalking and sending threatening communications online, according to the Department of Justice.

In one message, sent from the account catloverexpress, Steffen wrote: “I plan to slice you up into little pieces. Your blood shall I taste.”

Another message from January 2017 read: “All hell is gonna rain fire down on your world like never seen before. You have picked the wrong person to mess with. You have no idea what you've done. I will be catching the next flight to Michigan out of here."

Authorities discovered the 369 fake social media accounts, which Steffen used to harass her former business partner and other rivals, after the Florida-based fitness competitor faked a kidnapping involving her daughter.

In July 2018, Steffen called 911 to report that someone had attempted to abduct her daughter, The Washington Post reports, days after she reported a headless baby doll and a threatening note left on her front step.

When deputies arrived, Steffen reportedly showed them to a wooded area close to her home, where she said someone tried to grab her daughter. Deputies also found a notepad with information about Steffen hidden nearby, which was later determined to be staged.

Officials questioned the kidnapping report after Steffen’s daughter asked police “what would happen if she told the truth”, according to The Post.

At the time, Steffen was arrested and charged with filing a false police report, tampering with evidence, and child neglect.

But the FBI became involved in the case upon learning that Steffen had sent online threats from her many fake profiles, which included 18 email addresses.

According to officials, Steffen was attempting, in part, to get revenge on her ex-business partner, who she believed had sabotaged her chances at winning an online fitness competition.

"The extent of her crime is astounding," FBI special agent Kristin Rehler told WFLA. “In addition to sending threatening messages online, she spoofed calls, she also used voice disguising software.”