eBay agreed to pay out a $3 million tremendous—the utmost legal penalty—over a twisted scandal that noticed top executives and other employees stalking a couple in Massachusetts who printed a e-newsletter that criticized the corporate. The harassment marketing campaign included on-line threats, sending workers to surveil the couple’s dwelling, and mailing them disturbing objects—together with stay spiders and cockroaches, a bloody pig masks, and a guide on recovering from the demise of a partner.
The Justice Division charged eBay with obstruction of justice, witness tampering, stalking by interstate journey, and stalking by on-line communication. eBay’s former safety director James Baugh and former director of worldwide resiliency David Harville are each serving jail time for his or her roles within the scheme.
The couple, Ina and David Steiner, printed a statement on their web site Thursday. “eBay’s actions in opposition to us had a dangerous and everlasting influence on us—emotionally, psychologically, bodily, reputationally, and financially,” the Steiners wrote. “We strongly pushed federal prosecutors for additional indictments to discourage company executives and board members from making a tradition the place stalking and harassment is tolerated or inspired.”
The legal exercise appears to have began on the prime of the corporate. In 2019, Ina Steiner printed an article on the couple’s e-newsletter EcommerceBytes discussing a lawsuit eBay introduced in opposition to Amazon. Half an hour later, eBay’s then-CEO Devin Wenig despatched one other government a message saying: “In case you are ever going to take her down…now’s the time,” in line with court docket paperwork. The message was forwarded to Baugh, who responded that Steiner was a “biased troll who must get BURNED DOWN.”
Wenig, who resigned later that 12 months, denied any information of the legal exercise and wasn’t charged with a criminal offense. The Steiners are at the moment suing Wenig for his function within the marketing campaign to “intimidate, threaten to kill, torture, terrorize, stalk and silence them.”
“We proceed to increase our deepest apologies to the Steiners for what they endured,” mentioned Jamie Iannone, eBay’s present CEO, in a press statement. “Since these occasions occurred, new leaders have joined the corporate and eBay has strengthened its insurance policies, procedures, controls and coaching. eBay stays dedicated to upholding excessive requirements of conduct and ethics and to creating issues proper with the Steiners.”
A complete of seven eBay workers and contractors have been convicted for his or her involvement in stalking and harassing the Steiners, in line with the Department of Justice. Along with Baugh and Harville, the record consists of Stephanie Popp and Philip Cooke, who have been each sentenced to jail time in 2022. Stephanie Stockwell and Veronica Zea have been every sentenced to at least one 12 months of dwelling confinement that very same 12 months. Brian Gilbert pleaded responsible and is at the moment awaiting sentencing.
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