eBay, an online retail company, has been ordered to pay a substantial fine of three million dollars due to a case filed on January 11th, 2024. The company’s employees were accused of inappropriate behavior and harassment, including sending live spiders, cockroaches, and other disturbing items to a Massachusetts couple named David and Ina Steiner. The couple ran an online newsletter called EcommerceBytes, which had critical coverage of the company and drew the ire of eBay executives.
The eBay employees allegedly went to great lengths to intimidate the Massachusetts couple, resulting in criminal charges of stalking, obstruction of justice, and witness tampering filed against the company by the Justice Department. These charges highlight the seriousness of the harassment incident.
eBay has entered into a deferred prosecution agreement with the US Attorney’s Office in Massachusetts, which may lead to the dismissal of the criminal charges if specific conditions are met. This agreement also provides eBay with an opportunity to demonstrate its commitment to ethical conduct and prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future.
The couple’s attorney, Josh Levy, criticized eBay’s criminal actions and the emotional and mental distress it caused the couple. He further highlighted that the company’s actions were intentionally meant to stifle critical reporting and protect its brand reputation.
