eBay and several former executives have agreed to pay $56 million to settle a civil lawsuit brought by Ina and David Steiner, the publishers of the EcommerceBytes newsletter, ending a years-long legal battle over a 2019 harassment campaign carried out by former company employees.
The settlement resolves a 2021 lawsuit filed by the Steiners, who alleged they were targeted after publishing articles critical of eBay.
According to court records, former executives orchestrated an intimidation campaign aimed at discouraging the couple from continuing their coverage of the e-commerce company.
The harassment included anonymous threats, fake social media accounts, and disturbing deliveries to the couple’s home, including live spiders and cockroaches, pornographic magazines, a bloody pig mask, a funeral wreath, and a book about coping with the death of a spouse.
Court documents also revealed that individuals involved discussed plans to place a GPS tracking device on the couple’s vehicle and considered sending a “Samoan gang” to their home, although those plans were never carried out.
Under the settlement, eBay will pay $46.15 million to the Steiners, while former Chief Executive Officer Devin Wenig will contribute $2 million.
Former executive Wendy Jones will pay $500,000, and former executive Steve Wymer will pay $50,000. Additional funds will be directed to nonprofit organizations.
The case follows criminal proceedings in which seven former eBay employees pleaded guilty in 2022 for their roles in the harassment campaign.
Among them was former security chief James Baugh, who was sentenced to nearly five years in prison.
eBay, in a statement on Tuesday, said the actions of its former employees were “not representative of the company’s culture,” distancing itself from the conduct that led to the $56 million settlement.
“As we have long stated, what the Steiners were subjected to by former eBay employees in 2019 was wrong, reprehensible and should never have happened,” eBay continued. “We condemn, in the strongest terms possible, the employees who perpetrated and pled guilty to criminal charges for the misconduct against Ina and David Steiner.”
“We continue to extend our deepest apologies to the Steiners. This agreement is consistent with our commitment to fairly compensate the Steiners and fulfills our efforts to make things right.”
