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David and Ina Steiner were victims of eBay employees. — © REUTERS
Live spiders and cockroaches, a funeral wreath, a bloody pig’s head mask… The packages an American couple received from eBay managers are pretty gruesome. The online marketplace must therefore pay a fine of 3 million dollars (2.7 million euros).
Friday, January 12, 2024, 11:05 a.m
The harassment and attacks on David and Ina Steiner began in 2019 after the couple from the state of Massachusetts criticized eBay’s operations in an online newsletter under the name EcommerceBytes. This criticism clearly didn’t sit well with some of eBay’s top executives, who decided to make life difficult for themselves. Messages like “We will destroy this lady” and “I want to see her ashes, whatever it takes” were sent to each other by the top brass.
Ebay began to annoy the couple by sending them all sorts of nasty packages. In addition to spiders and cockroaches, it also contained a pig fetus and a book with tips for coping with grief after the death of a partner.
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The couple was sent this mask, among other things. — © FBI Boston
The couple also received threats on social media and their home address ended up among several fake invitations to (sex) parties and online classified ads. They also suddenly had dozens of newsletters subscribed to, including those from a fetish festival, a satanic temple, and a communist party. Additionally, eBay employees traveled to Massachusetts to monitor the couple and even installed a GPS tracker in their car, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.
The couple received threats on social media and their home address ended up in several fake party invitations and online classified ads
Pure hell
The internet giant was therefore accused of six crimes relating to stalking and obstruction of justice. “Ebay has engaged in absolutely despicable and criminal behavior. “The company employees involved put the victims through hell in a terrible campaign to silence them (the Steiners, editor’s note),” said attorney Joshua S. Levy. in a statement. “We have left no stone unturned to bring to justice those who rocked the victims’ world with an endless nightmare of threats and criminal acts.”
“Ebay has engaged in absolutely despicable and criminal behavior.”
Joshua S. Levy
Prosecutor
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The couple also received porn. — © FBI Boston
In 2022, seven eBay employees were convicted in the case, including two high-ranking managers. They received prison sentences of between two and four years. Ebay also fired all employees involved. The company itself has now also agreed to a $3 million fine and must allow an independent regulator to monitor and review the company for three years.
To be clear, the $3 million fine is not compensation for the Steiners. They said in a response that eBay’s actions had had a “damaging and lasting impact” on them “emotionally, psychologically, physically and financially.” Her attempts to reach an agreement with eBay repeatedly failed. A lawsuit the couple has filed against eBay could begin next year. “As victims of heinous crimes aimed at destroying our lives and livelihoods, we believe it is important to do everything in our power to ensure this does not happen to anyone else.”
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A book with tips for coping with grief after the death of a partner also landed in the couple’s mailbox. — © FBI Boston.
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