eBay has agreed to pay a $3 million penalty following a harassment campaign conducted by its employees involving the sending of live cockroaches to a Massachusetts couple.
The U.S. Justice Department announced the fine last Thursday, attributing responsibility to eBay for the harassment campaign its employees executed against David and Ina Steiner, in 2019.
This involved stalking the Steiners and sending them various disturbing items, including live cockroaches, a pig mask covered in fake blood, and a funeral wreath.
It started with Ina Steiner publishing an article about eBay suing Amazon for poaching their sellers in 2019, which prompted Devin Wenig, then CEO of eBay, to express his desire to “take down” Ina Steiner in text messages to some company executives.
Subsequently, Jim Baugh, who was eBay’s Senior Director of Safety and Security at the time, together with six other security employees, initiated a campaign of harassment against the couple.
In addition to the $3 million fine, eBay must organize staff training and improve its corporate culture to prevent similar incidents.