Govini founder Eric Gillespie charged with soliciting preteen

The founder and chairman of Govini, a software firm with deep ties to the Pentagon, has been arrested on charges of soliciting sexual activity with a teenage girl, according to the Pennsylvania attorney general’s office.

Eric Gillespie, 57, of Pittsburgh, allegedly tried to arrange a meeting with a teenage girl through an online chat platform frequently used by sex offenders, authorities said. An undercover agent posing as an adult intercepted Gillespie’s messages.

“Our Child Predator Section proactively uncovered this defendant who was lurking on the internet to access children under an online alias,” said Attorney General Dave Sunday. “During the investigation, Gillespie discussed methods of accessing children, and other evidence of contact with children was also found,” the office said in a statement. The statement was included.

Gillespie was denied bail because the judge cited flight risk and public safety concerns. He faces four felony charges, including multiple charges of unlawful contact with a minor.

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A company spokesperson told Fox News Digital about the accusations: “On November 10, 2025, the company was notified of the felony charges against Eric Gillespie. Upon learning of these charges, we took immediate action to place Mr. Gillespie on administrative leave. The Company will fully cooperate with law enforcement in connection with their investigation. We recognize the seriousness of these allegations and, as a Company, we will hold all of our employees to the highest ethical standards. We are committed to supporting all victims of any abuse. Kindly.”

Govini develops artificial intelligence software used by the Pentagon and other agencies to analyze large amounts of government and commercial data, including defense budgets, industrial base capacity, supply chains and procurement schedules.

The company has landed major federal contracts in recent years, including a five-year, $400 million Pentagon contract in 2019 and a 10-year deal worth $919 million announced in April 2025 with the Department of Defense and General Services Administration to build a supply chain risk platform.

“Our Child Predator Section proactively uncovered this defendant who was lurking on the internet to access children under an online alias,” said Attorney General Dave Sunday. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc. via Getty Images)

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Earlier this month, Govini said it had surpassed $100 million in annual recurring revenue and secured $150 million in growth investment, according to a press release by the company.

Gillespie was arrested and charged with soliciting sexual intercourse with a teenage girl, according to the Pennsylvania attorney general’s office. (Tim Leedy/MediaNews Group/Reading Eagle via Getty Images)

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“I founded Govini to create an entirely new category of software built to transform the way the U.S. government uses AI and data to make decisions,” Gillespie said in that release.

The firm describes itself as “trusted by every department of the US military” and says its flagship analytics platform supports defense acquisition, supply chain and modernization efforts.