eBay to pay $56M to couple it harassed in 2019
What's the story
In a bizarre chapter of e-commerce history, eBay has agreed to pay $56 million to a couple of newsletter writers. The settlement comes after the company was accused of targeting the couple in a horrific harassment campaign back in 2019. The victims, Ina and David Steiner, are the co-authors of EcommerceBytes, an online platform that covers news and information about online shopping trends.
Harassment details
The harassment campaign
The Steiners's occasional criticism of eBay in their newsletter drew the ire of high-ranking company executives.
In 2019, these executives hatched a plan to intimidate the couple into stopping their negative coverage.
They used fake social media accounts to harass the couple, sending them anonymous threats and bizarre items such as live spiders and cockroaches, porn magazines, a bloody pig mask, a funeral wreath, and a book on how to survive losing your spouse.
Tracking attempts
Settlement details
Court documents revealed that there was an unsuccessful attempt to put a GPS tracker on the couple's car.
Another plan, which was also not carried out, involved sending a "Samoan gang" to their home.
The agreement this week settles a civil case filed by the Steiners against eBay in 2021.
Their law firm confirmed that eBay will pay $46.15 million directly to them and $6 million in charitable contributions.
Executive payments
Individual settlements reached
Former eBay CEO Devin Wenig will pay the couple $2 million and donate $1 million to a charity that protects First Amendment rights in Ina's name.
Other former executives, Wendy Jones and Steve Wymer, will also pay settlements of $500,000 and $50,000, respectively.
Additional settlements have been reached with other eBay employees named in the Steiners's lawsuit.
Company response
eBay's statement on the matter
In a statement, eBay condemned the actions of its former employees as "not representative of eBay's culture."
The company said, "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."
It also apologized to the Steiners and said this agreement is consistent with their commitment to fairly compensate them.