eBay agrees to pay about $55.7 million (around $56 million) to David and Ina Steiner, a Massachusetts couple who say they were targeted in a harassment and cyberstalking campaign by former eBay employees.
The Steirners, who run the EcommerceBytes newsletter covering online selling, filed a civil lawsuit in 2021. They allege the campaign was designed to silence or punish their critical reporting, describing a sustained effort to intimidate them and pressure them to stop. Outlets report the alleged harassment included unsettling and macabre deliveries, and in some accounts, multiple former executives were involved.
Different coverage focuses on emphasis rather than core details: some outlets highlight the settlement amount and the absence of an NDA or secrecy term, while others describe the couple’s account of “systematic” emotional and psychological torture. Several reports also note that related criminal proceedings against individuals connected to the campaign have resulted in jail time, as reflected in broader reporting. The settlement resolves the Steirners’ lawsuit stemming from a 2019 period, according to multiple sources.
