eBay must pay maximum fine for putting Massachusetts couple “through pure hell.”

eBay hit with $3M fine, admits to “terrorizing innocent people”::eBay must pay maximum fine for putting Massachusetts couple “through pure hell.”

  • AutoTL;DR@lemmings.worldBEnglish
    0·
    7 months ago

    This is the best summary I could come up with:

    eBay has agreed to pay $3 million—the maximum criminal penalty possible—after employees harassed, intimidated, and stalked a Massachusetts couple in retaliation for their critical reporting of the online marketplace in 2019.

    “Today’s settlement holds eBay criminally and financially responsible for emotionally, psychologically, and physically terrorizing the publishers of an online newsletter out of fear that bad publicity would adversely impact their Fortune 500 company," Jodi Cohen, the special agent in charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation Boston Division, said in a Justice Department press release Thursday.

    eBay’s harassment campaign against the couple, David and Ina Steiner, stretched for 18 days in August 2019 and was led by the company’s former senior director of safety and security, Jim Baugh.

    It started when then-CEO Devin Wenig and then-chief communications officer Steven Wymer decided to “take down” the Steiners after growing frustrated with their coverage of eBay in a newsletter called EcommerceBytes.

    After sending tweets and DMs threatening to visit the couple’s home, former eBay employees escalated the criminal activity by traveling to Massachusetts and installing a GPS tracker on the Steiners’ car.

    Cohen acknowledged that the settlement “cannot erase the significant distress this couple suffered” but said that the DOJ hopes slapping eBay with the maximum fine "will deter others from engaging in similar conduct.”

    The original article contains 754 words, the summary contains 214 words. Saved 72%. I’m a bot and I’m open source!

  • Imgonnatrythis@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
    0·
    7 months ago

    Man, I hope anyone that showed up to that house for the publicized “sexual encounters” sue the hell out of ebay in additional law suits for blue balls and related depressing disspaointmemt. Oh, and also for gas money.

  • Napain@lemmy.mlEnglish
    0·
    7 months ago

    The former eBay employees turned the Steiners’ world “upside-down through a never-ending nightmare of menacing and criminal acts,” Levy said. That included “sending anonymous and disturbing deliveries,” such as “a book on surviving the death of a spouse, a bloody pig mask, a fetal pig and a funeral wreath and live insects,” the DOJ said. The intimidation also included publishing a series of “Craigslist posts inviting the public for sexual encounters at the victims’ home.”

    jesus

  • thehatfox@lemmy.worldEnglish
    0·
    7 months ago

    eBay’s revenue in the last financial year was over $10 billion, I’m sure that $3 million fine will make sure they never terrorise innocents again.

    • killeronthecorner@lemmy.worldEnglish
      0·
      7 months ago

      From another article

      All seven who participated in the harassment have been convicted. Baugh was sentenced to 57 months in prison in September 2022.

      It was a small group of employees targeting one couple, and it looks like most of them will be going to prison.

      While I agree that the $3m is chump change for eBay, the victims deserve the settlement, and some justice has been served.

      • Gormadt@lemmy.blahaj.zoneEnglish
        0·
        7 months ago

        It’s great to hear that the people responsible will actually do time for what they did

        Usually when you hear about people at a corporation doing some shitty stuff all you hear about is fines

          • jqubed@lemmy.worldEnglish
            0·
            7 months ago

            The then-Senior Director of Safety and Security for eBay got an almost 5 year prison sentence, and it seems he reported directly to the CEO. That sounds like management to me!

  • jqubed@lemmy.worldEnglish
    0·
    7 months ago

    The things the employees were convicted of doing are wild! If I’d read it in a book or saw it in a movie I’d call it ridiculous and unbelievable!