eBay reaches $55.7 million settlement with Massachusetts couple that was “terrorized” in stalking scandal
eBay reaches 55 7 million in Cyberstalking Settlement
Bizeconanalysis.com – eBay reaches 55 7 million as part of a landmark settlement with a Massachusetts couple who endured years of relentless cyberstalking. Ina and David Steiner, publishers of ECommerceBytes from their Natick home, became targets of a coordinated harassment campaign by former company employees beginning in 2019. Their ordeal included receiving disturbing deliveries such as a bloody pig mask, live spiders, and a book about surviving the death of a spouse. Pornographic magazines were deliberately mailed to their neighbors, while their residence appeared on Craigslist as a nightly venue for "singles, couples and swingers."
Corporate Retaliation Against Journalists
The harassment escalated when eBay leadership grew furious over the couple's newsletter and critical reader comments on their website. Former CEO Devin Wenig sent a text message ordering, "Take her down," while former chief communications officer Steve Wymer declared, "I want to see ashes. As long as it takes. Whatever it takes." The Steiners became so frightened that they began sleeping in separate rooms, ensuring one could always call police or escape if intruders arrived at night.
Law enforcement eventually traced a rental van following David Steiner back to an eBay employee. By 2020, the Department of Justice charged seven eBay executives and employees with cyberstalking, with several facing prison sentences. "It was terrifying to know that this online harassment actually ended up right on our doorstep in real life," Ina Steiner recalled. "It felt like corporate terrorism because we were terrorized. And it was very calculated. It was very vicious."
Settlement Details and Financial Recovery
Under the settlement terms, the couple will receive $48.7 million, which includes $2 million from Wenig personally. eBay will contribute $6 million to various charities, while Wenig will donate $1 million to a First Amendment rights organization in Ina Steiner's name. eBay, which previously paid a $3 million criminal penalty in 2024, issued a formal apology. "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," the company stated.
Wenig, who maintains his "take her down" text referred to a communications strategy rather than personal animosity, also released a statement. "No one should ever have been subjected to what the Steiners endured in 2019, and I'm saddened by it, especially because it occurred during my time as CEO of eBay," he said. He emphasized that the harassment was "deliberately done in secret and without my knowledge, as established by an independent law firm review, a federal probe, and the sworn testimony of the security employee convicted as the 'ringleader.'"
"Look past the money, look past the roaches and the spiders, and tell me what it says about the times we live in," David Steiner reflected. "We're happy that we have some financial security, that's like understating it, it's crazy, but it's the message that it sends," Ina Steiner added. Their attorney, Christopher Murphy, noted that "this case was always about more than obtaining financial recovery." He explained that the Steiners sought to "uncover the truth, protect journalists and publishers, hold those responsible accountable, deter future corporate misconduct, and help ensure others would never have to endure what they experienced."
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is eBay paying in the cyberstalking settlement? eBay reaches 55 7 million total, with $48.7 million going directly to the Steiner couple and $6 million allocated to charities.
Who were the main eBay executives involved in the scandal? Former CEO Devin Wenig and former chief communications officer Steve Wymer were among seven eBay executives and employees charged with cyberstalking.
When did the cyberstalking campaign begin? The harassment started in 2019 when the Steiners began receiving threats and disturbing deliveries at their Natick, Massachusetts home.
What happened to the convicted eBay employees? Several executives and employees went to prison for their roles in the cyberstalking scheme against the Steiner couple.