- Financial pretexting is illegal. The Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act prohibits obtaining customers’ financial data under false pretenses (so-called “pretexting”), a point the FTC has enforced for decades. If any PI methods touched bank, brokerage, or similar records via deception, that’s actionable. Federal Trade Commission+2Federal Trade Commission+2
- Recording conflicts (e.g., California). In two-party consent jurisdictions like California, recording a “confidential communication” without the consent of all parties can be a crime and a civil problem. If any evidence was captured that way, the law provides for that evidence to be challenged and sanctions granted, if applicable. Justia Law
- Trespass / intrusion upon seclusion. Entering a private residence under false pretenses or surveilling private affairs can trigger tort exposure and evidentiary exclusion fights. Even attempted intrusions can matter for remedies. Justia LawFlash Archive
What the complaint and coverage establish so far
- Claims & quotes: The complaint catalogs allegedly “verifiably false” statements about identity theft, incest, crimes, and mind-control, and references Owens saying she would “stake [her] entire professional reputation”on the claim about Brigitte Macron—a line plaintiffs spotlight in their case narrative. Business Wire
- Scale & reach: The podcast series has millions of views and Owens has said the suit is “littered with factual inaccuracies,” signaling an aggressive defense that frames the case as a free-speech clash.
- PI centerpiece: Plaintiffs publicly credit Nardello’s work and posture it as delivering “indisputable evidence,”making the firm’s files central to what jurors may see—and to what defendants could now potentially go after through the discovery process.
Procedure to watch: Delaware anti-SLAPP modernization
Delaware lawmakers passed SB 80, adopting the Uniform Public Expression Protection Act (UPEPA) framework; it takes effect upon the governor’s signature. As of mid-summer 2025, the bill had cleared the General Assembly and awaited executive action. If/when effective, it could add early-dismissal and fee-shifting tools that reshape timelines and leverage. Counsel will be watching applicability and timing closely. Delaware General Assembly