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Tue, 28 Jul 2026

Tue, 28 Jul 2026 eBay agrees $56m settlement with bloggers over harassment case

Former eBay executives carried out "unprecedented" harassment over a critical newsletter.

* The couple, David and Ina Steiner, faced harassment from several eBay executives in 2019 due to their online criticism of the firm on their website EcommerceBytes.
* Seven former eBay executives pleaded guilty to sending threatening actions, including a costume mask covered in pigs blood and a book on surviving the death of a spouse.
* The couple also received harassing messages on Twitter and visits to their home by eBay executives who attempted to install a tracking device on their car.
* eBay was criminally charged and entered into a deferred prosecution agreement with the DOJ, agreeing to pay a fine of $3m.
* eBay's former CEO, Devin Wenig, is personally paying $1m towards the settlement, which will go to an unnamed charity dedicated to protecting First Amendment rights.
* The settlement includes $6m for "various non-profit organizations".
* The couple's lawyers said that this resolution sends a clear message that corporations and their executives cannot engage in this type of misconduct without facing significant consequences.