criminal-law
Internet Cyber stalking for sabotage
<p>I have a problem with a cyber stalker whose sole intention is to ruin me personally and professionally.  How can one protect themselves legally?</p>

<p>You <em>could</em> be the victim of defamation (which includes libel)</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>Libel is a method of defamation expressed by print, writing, pictures,
  signs, effigies, or any communication embodied in physical form that
  is injurious to a person's reputation, exposes a person to public
  hatred, contempt or ridicule, or injures a person in his/her business
  or profession. <a href="https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/libel" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Definition of Libel</a></p>
</blockquote>

<p>but <em>it depends</em> on what exactly is in the communications that this person is writing and emailing to others. He must be making false statements that he claims are true. That can be libel.</p>

<p><a href="http://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/defamation" rel="nofollow noreferrer">There are four criteria used today for Defamation</a> in the United States:</p>

<blockquote>
  <ol>
  <li>The statement was false, but was claimed as true.</li>
  <li>The statement must have been made to a third, previously uninvolved party.</li>
  <li>The statement must have been made by the accused party.</li>
  <li>The statement caused harm.</li>
  </ol>
</blockquote>

<p>If you are not a public figure - like a politician or Hollywood star - the threshold is lower for defamation, i.e. it's easier for him to libel you.</p>

<p>We can't offer legal advice here, and I am not a lawyer, but you can contact a lawyer or a free legal help clinic with the contents of the emails and be able to state (or be able to prove) what you feel are the damages to your business ventures. A lawyer can make the call if this is indeed defamation and your what your options might be.</p>
