"In their 2021 lawsuit filed in Boston federal court, David and Ina Steiner said that the company engaged in a conspiracy to 'intimidate, threaten to kill, torture, terrorize, stalk and silence them' in order to 'stifle their reporting on eBay.' The Natick residents, who run EcommerceBytes, an online newsletter focused on the e-commerce industry, said they were subjected to cyberstalking, death threats and in-person surveillance by former eBay workers."
"In 2020, federal prosecutors charged seven former eBay employees, alleging they carried out a coordinated harassment campaign against the couple after becoming angered by coverage in the couple's online newsletter. Most of the defendants pleaded guilty to charges including conspiracy and cyberstalking and were later sentenced to prison terms or home confinement."
"Federal prosecutors have said the harassment included anonymous deliveries of items like live cockroaches and spiders, a funeral wreath, and a bloody pig face mask to the couple's home. The employees al[so engaged in coordinated intimidation tactics targeting the newsletter operators]."
David and Ina Steiner, who operate EcommerceBytes newsletter covering e-commerce industry news, filed a 2021 lawsuit against eBay alleging the company conspired to intimidate and silence them through harassment by former employees. The campaign included cyberstalking, death threats, in-person surveillance, and anonymous deliveries of live insects, funeral wreaths, and disturbing items. Seven former eBay employees were federally charged and most pleaded guilty to conspiracy and cyberstalking, receiving prison sentences or home confinement. eBay paid a $3 million criminal penalty under a deferred prosecution agreement. The settlement terms remain undisclosed, with the court dismissing the case Wednesday.
#ebay-harassment-lawsuit #cyberstalking-and-threats #corporate-misconduct #settlement-agreement #criminal-prosecution
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