EBay, former executives to pay $56 million to settle couple's harassment case

By Nate Raymond

July 28 (Reuters) - EBay and 3 erstwhile apical executives person agreed to wage $55.7 cardinal to resoluteness a suit by a Massachusetts mates who fell unfortunate to a bizarre stalking and harassment ‌campaign carried retired by respective of its employees successful retaliation for their sum of the e-commerce institution successful ‌a newsletter they publish.

David and Ina Steiner announced the colony precocious connected Monday, bringing an extremity to a lawsuit they filed successful 2021 successful ​Boston national tribunal aft respective erstwhile eBay employees were prosecuted for targeting them successful a cyber-stalking run that progressive sending the mates cockroaches, alert larvae and a bloody Halloween pig mask.

As portion of the settlement, eBay agreed to wage $46.15 cardinal to the couple; money $6 cardinal successful charitable contributions to nonprofit organizations; and contented a "strongly-worded" connection astir the behaviour of 3 of its apical ‌former executives.

"We judge this solution sends a ⁠clear connection that corporations and their executives cannot prosecute successful this benignant of misconduct without facing important consequences," Christopher Murphy, the Steiners' attorney, said successful a statement.

EBay successful a connection said ⁠that what happened to the Steiners was "wrong, reprehensible and should ne'er person happened."

"We proceed to widen our deepest apologies to the Steiners," the institution said. "This statement is accordant with our committedness to reasonably compensate the Steiners and fulfills our efforts to marque things ​right."

Seven erstwhile ​eBay workers pleaded blameworthy and received sentences of arsenic precocious ​as 57 months successful situation for participating successful ‌the scheme, which besides progressive respective of them traveling from California to Natick, Massachusetts, to surveil the Steiners and effort to instal a GPS tracking instrumentality connected their car.

Prosecutors person said was purpose was to soundlessness them aft elder executives deemed their newsletter, EcommerceBytes, captious of the company. The run began aft then-CEO Devin Wenig successful August 2019 texted Steve Wymer, past its main communications officer, that it was clip to "take her down," referring to Ina Steiner, according to prosecutors ‌and the Steiners.

EBay itself was criminally charged and agreed successful 2024 ​to wage a $3 cardinal fine.

Wenig, a erstwhile Thomson Reuters enforcement who stepped ​down arsenic eBay's CEO successful September 2019, was ne'er ​charged. His lawyers did not respond to a petition for remark but person argued helium ‌had nary cognition oregon immoderate engagement successful the ​harassment campaign.

As portion of the settlement, ​the Steiners' attorneys said Wenig volition wage them $2 cardinal and marque a $1 cardinal donation to a foundation focused connected protecting First Amendment rights successful the sanction of Ina Steiner.