The Insights Association (IA), the nonprofit association representing the U.S. market research, insights, and analytics industry, has permanently barred Frank Nappo, Frank Hayden, Daniel Harriman, and Ryan Stoudt from IA membership after each pled guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud in the federal case involving Op4G, Slice (SliceMR), and SNWare. The IA Standards Committee will apply similar consequences to any other individuals or companies involved in fraudulent activity.
In April 2025, after the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of New Hampshire announced indictments in the case, IA suspended the memberships of SliceMR and the individuals named in the indictment. At the time, IA said that out of respect for the presumption of innocence, it would make final decisions on permanent bans only after a final judgment, plea, or other ruling. Those pleas have now come in.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Hayden pled guilty on February 2, 2026; Harriman on February 24, 2026; Stoudt on March 5, 2026; and Nappo (who was Op4G's CEO) on August 31, 2026. Prosecutors said that, “In 2014… conspirators decided to increase company revenues by generating fabricated survey data. To execute the scheme, the conspirators recruited ‘ants,’ who pretended to be legitimate survey takers but instead were paid a nominal fee for completing surveys that produced false market research data. Some of the conspirators even served as ‘ants’ and fraudulently took large quantities of surveys themselves, receiving significant payments. To evade detection, the conspirators exchanged instructions with each other and the ‘ants.’ These instructions included directions on how to answer survey screener questions, provided parameters on how long ‘ants’ should remain on surveys, and encouraged the use of virtual private network (VPN) services to conceal real IP addresses.”
Three more co-defendants remain international fugitives.
"Our clients, our research subjects, and the public depend on one thing above all else from this industry: that the insights we provide are real," said Anita Watkins, CEO of the Insights Association. "Fraud like this is a betrayal of that trust, and it demands a clear and lasting response. We will continue to insist on transparency and honesty at every step of the research process, from how participants are sourced to how data is delivered. The thousands of ethical organizations and professionals in our industry have earned their reputation, and we will not let it be defined by the actions of a few criminals."
IA encourages buyers and providers to: engage with the work of the Council of Data Integrity; use the data quality resources available through the Global Data Quality initiative, including the Data Quality Excellence Pledge; and pursue ISO 20252 certification (the global market research standard) through CIRQ.
Complaints against a member for alleged violations of the IA Code of Standards and Ethics may be filed at enforcement@insightsassociation.org .
About the Author
Based in Washington, DC, Howard is the Insights Association's lobbyist for the marketing research and data analytics industry, focusing primarily on consumer privacy and data security, the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA), tort reform, and the funding and integrity of the decennial Census and the American Community Survey (ACS).
Howard has more than two decades of public policy experience. Before the Insights Association, he worked in Congress as senior legislative staffer for then-Representatives Christopher Cox (CA-48) and Cliff Stearns (FL-06). He also served more than four years with a science policy think tank, working to improve the understanding of scientific and social research and methodology among journalists and policymakers.
Howard is also co-director of The Census Project, a 900+ member coalition in support of a fair and accurate Census and ACS.
He has also served previously on the Board of Directors for the National Institute for Lobbying and Ethics and and the Association of Government Relations Professionals.
Howard has an MA International Relations from the University of Essex in England and a BA Honors Political Studies from Trent University in Canada, and has obtained the Certified Association Executive (CAE), Professional Lobbying Certificate (PLC) and the Public Policy Certificate (PPC).
When not running advocacy for the Insights Association, Howard enjoys hockey, NFL football, sci-fi and horror movies, playing with his dog, and spending time with family and friends.