eBay agrees to $56M settlement after executives sent cockroaches, pig mask to couple

eBay has agreed to a $56 million settlement with a Massachusetts couple, David and Ina Steiner, who were subjected to an "unprecedented" harassment campaign orchestrated by former eBay executives. The couple, who publish the EcommerceBytes newsletter, faced retaliation in 2019 for their critical coverage of the e-commerce company. The settlement, announced in July 2026, resolves a civil lawsuit filed by the Steiners in 2021.

The extensive harassment campaign involved sending disturbing items to the Steiners' home, including live spiders and cockroaches, a bloody pig mask, a funeral wreath, and a book on surviving the death of a spouse. Former eBay employees also engaged in online harassment, sent threatening messages, and attempted to physically surveil the couple and install a GPS tracking device on their car.

Of the $56 million total, eBay will pay $46.15 million directly to the Steiners, with former CEO Devin Wenig contributing $2 million and other former executives also paying amounts. The settlement also includes $6 million in charitable contributions to nonprofit organizations. Seven former eBay employees have pleaded guilty to criminal charges related to their involvement in the cyberstalking scheme, and eBay itself was criminally charged, agreeing in 2024 to pay a $3 million fine. eBay has issued an apology, stating that the actions were "wrong, reprehensible, and should never have happened."