EBay, Former Executives to Pay Nearly $56 Million to Settle Harassment Lawsuit

EBay and three of its former senior executives have agreed to a settlement totaling $55.7 million to resolve a civil lawsuit filed by a Massachusetts couple who were subjected to an elaborate harassment and stalking campaign by company employees. The agreement, announced by victims David and Ina Steiner, ends a 2021 lawsuit filed in Boston federal court.

Settlement Breakdown

The settlement addresses a campaign of intimidation against the Steiners, who publish the newsletter EcommerceBytes, which was deemed critical of the company. The financial terms, as detailed by the plaintiffs' attorneys, are structured as follows:

• EBay will pay $46.15 million directly to the couple.
• The company will also fund $6 million in charitable contributions to non-profit organizations.
• Former CEO Devin Wenig will pay the Steiners $2 million and donate an additional $1 million to a charity focused on First Amendment rights.
• Former Senior Vice President Wendy Jones will pay $500,000, and former Chief Communications Officer Steve Wymer will pay $50,000.

In a statement, EBay said the events were "wrong, reprehensible and should never have happened" and that it extends its "deepest apologies to the Steiners." Christopher Murphy, the couple's attorney, stated the resolution "sends a clear message that corporations and their executives cannot engage in this type of misconduct without facing significant consequences."

Details of the Harassment Campaign

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The case stems from a 2019 campaign by former EBay employees intended to silence the Steiners' reporting. According to prosecutors in a related criminal case, the harassment included sending disturbing packages to the couple's home, such as live cockroaches, fly larvae, and a bloody Halloween pig mask.

The scheme also involved employees traveling to the Steiners' town to conduct surveillance and attempt to install a GPS tracking device on their vehicle. Prosecutors said the campaign was initiated after then-CEO Wenig texted Wymer in August 2019 that it was time to "take her down," referring to Ina Steiner.

Previous Legal Consequences

This civil settlement follows previous criminal proceedings. Seven former EBay employees have pleaded guilty to charges related to the scheme, receiving prison sentences of up to 57 months. Earlier in 2024, EBay as a corporation was criminally charged and agreed to pay a $3 million fine.

Devin Wenig, who stepped down as CEO in September 2019, was never criminally charged and his lawyers have maintained he had no knowledge of or involvement in the harassment campaign. The Steiners' attorneys said additional settlements were reached with all other EBay employees named in their lawsuit.