eBay Agrees to $56 Million Settlement in Harassment Case

eBay and several former executives have agreed to pay $56 million (£42 million) to settle a lawsuit brought by a Massachusetts couple who were subjected to a years-long harassment campaign in retaliation for their online criticism of the company, Kali Hays reported for BBC News.

The eBay logo is displayed as the company settles a lawsuit over a harassment campaign targeting two bloggers. [Photo: Coolcaesar, Wikimedia Commons]

David and Ina Steiner said they reached the settlement with eBay over the 2019 campaign carried out by several former company executives, as well as internal communications involving eBay's then-chief executive.

The Steiners publish EcommerceBytes, a website and newsletter that frequently covered and criticized eBay's business practices.

Several former executives later pleaded guilty to sending the couple disturbing items, including a pig mask covered in fake blood, a book about surviving the death of a spouse, and other threatening packages.

The harassment also included sending a funeral wreath, abusive messages on Twitter (now known as X), and repeated visits to the couple's Massachusetts home in an attempt to install a tracking device on their vehicle.

According to the U.S. Department of Justice, seven former eBay executives pleaded guilty to criminal charges between 2022 and 2024.

An FBI agent involved in the investigation described the actions as an "unprecedented, relentless, and over-the-top harassment campaign."