SOURCE(S): → eBay to pay $3m fine over employees who sent live spiders and cockroaches to couple's home | US News | Sky News
→ eBay pays $3m fine in blogger harassment case [BBC]
KEY INFORMATION
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David and Ina Steiner, a Massachusetts couple who ran an online newsletter called EcommerceBytes, where they published an article critically reporting the online marketplace back in 2019, which had upset both eBay executives and staff - who in turn allegedly chose to harass and intimidate them.
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The couple also had a funeral wreath, a bloody pig mask, a foetal pig and a book about surviving the loss of a spouse, show up at their door. Not just live spiders and cockroaches. On top of that, a GPS tracking device reportedly secretly installed on the couple’s car and posts being created on the Craigslist website inviting strangers to sexual encounters, yard sales and parties at the couple’s home address, according to the filings.
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Now former eBay executives James Baugh and David Harville, now former eBay employee Philipe Cooke alongside 4 other unidentified associates all led the campaign according to court papers. They were all fired shortly after the incident. A total of SEVEN (7) workers were involved.
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In 2021, Mr Cooke was handed down an 18 month prison sentence and the following year (2022) Mr Baugh was handed down of NEARLY FIVE (5) Years whereas Mr Harville was only sentenced to two years with the other sentencings unconfirmed. Baugh’s lawyers also claim he faced pressure from former eBay CEO Devin Wenig, who stepped down back in 2019. Wenig has not been criminally charged and denies any involvement.
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The Department of Justice (“DoJ”) charged eBay with stalking and other offences, but, the company has now since entered into an undisclosed legal agreement that could result in the charges against them being dismissed if it complies with certain conditions, the US attorney’s office in Massachusetts has said.
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