eBay Pays $3m Fine in Blog Harassment Case: Executives Sent Live Insects, Threats to Critical Bloggers

In a shocking turn of events, eBay has agreed to pay a hefty fine of $3m to resolve harassment charges against bloggers who were critical of the company. The bloggers, Ina and David Steiner, were subjected to a campaign of intimidation and harassment by eBay executives and their associates.

According to court papers, the victims were left “emotionally, psychologically, and physically” terrorized. The harassment campaign included sending live insects, a foetal pig, and a funeral wreath to the Steiners’ home in Natick, Massachusetts. The perpetrators also installed a GPS tracking device on the couple’s car and created posts on Craigslist inviting sexual encounters at their home.

The employees responsible for the harassment were fired by eBay shortly after the incident. In 2021, one of the employees, Philip Cooke, was sentenced to 18 months in prison. The following year, Jim Baugh, the former senior director of safety and security at eBay, was sentenced to nearly five years.

Baugh’s lawyers claimed that he faced pressure from former eBay CEO Devin Wenig to rein in the Steiners over their coverage of the company. However, Wenig, who stepped down in 2019, has not been charged in the case and denies any knowledge of the harassment campaign.

Acting Massachusetts US Attorney Josh Levy told the AP news agency that eBay engaged in “absolutely horrific, criminal conduct.” The company’s employees and contractors involved in the campaign put the victims through “pure hell,” aimed at silencing their reporting and protecting the eBay brand.

This incident serves as a reminder of the importance of ethical business practices and the consequences of engaging in harassment and intimidation campaigns against critics. It also highlights the need for stronger laws and regulations to protect individuals from such abusive behavior.

eBay, Cyber-stalking, Stalking, Harassment, Intimidation, Bloggers, Executives, Fine, Massachusetts, US Attorney’s Office, Court Papers, Insects, Foetal Pig, Funeral Wreath, GPS Tracking Device, Craigslist, Pressure, Former CEO, Denial, Ethical Business Practices, Consequences, Harassment Campaigns, Critics, Stronger Laws, Regulations.