# Ebay and ex-executives to pay $55.7m to couple sent cockroaches in harassment campaign *Canonical page:* https://truthscore.com/source/53a24758 *Machine twins:* https://truthscore.com/source/53a24758.md · JSON at https://truthscore.com/api/v1 Publisher: The Guardian · published 2026-07-28 · read 2026-09-12 Original: https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2026/jul/28/ebay-harassment-lawsuit-settlement *A source is testimony, not proof. The document itself is never republished here.* ## Who is named (8) - [Devin Wenig](https://truthscore.com/entity/02442f3e) - [EcommerceBytes](https://truthscore.com/entity/1f8cd364) - [Steve Wymer](https://truthscore.com/entity/acce3612) - [Natick, Massachusetts](https://truthscore.com/entity/aeb1f58f) - [Wendy Jones](https://truthscore.com/entity/b691dee2) - [eBay](https://truthscore.com/entity/c0fa1b87) - [California](https://truthscore.com/entity/cdb3b67c) - [David and Ina Steiner](https://truthscore.com/entity/f3372e63) ## What it added - [eBay and three former top executives have agreed to pay $55.7 million to resolve the lawsuit filed by David and Ina Steiner.](https://truthscore.com/claim/e0ce66f1) > Ebay and three former top executives have agreed to pay $55.7m to resolve a lawsuit by a Massachusetts couple who fell victim ⁠to a bizarre stalking and ⁠harassment campaign carried out ​by several of its employees in retaliation for their coverage of the e-commerce company in a newsletter they publish. - [eBay agreed to pay $46.15 million to David and Ina Steiner as part of the settlement.](https://truthscore.com/claim/a4c6c7c6) > As part of the settlement, eBay agreed to pay $46.15m to the couple - [eBay will fund $6 million in charitable contributions to non‑profit organizations as part of the settlement.](https://truthscore.com/claim/46bf4011) > fund $6m in charitable contributions to non-profit organizations - [eBay will issue a strongly‑worded statement about the conduct of three former top executives as part of the settlement.](https://truthscore.com/claim/12a9e211) > issue a “strongly-worded” statement about the conduct ​of three of its top former executives - [The resolution sends a clear message that corporations and their executives cannot engage in this type of misconduct without facing significant consequences.](https://truthscore.com/claim/4fce2037) > “We believe this resolution ‌sends a clear message that corporations and ‌their executives cannot engage in this type of misconduct without facing significant consequences,” Christopher Murphy, the Steiners’ attorney, said in a statement. - [The incident was wrong, reprehensible and should never have happened.](https://truthscore.com/claim/1a4decae) > Ebay said ‌in a statement that what happened to the Steiners was “wrong, reprehensible and should never have happened” - [eBay extends its deepest apologies to the Steiners and says the agreement is consistent with its commitment to fairly compensate them.](https://truthscore.com/claim/bbae8003) > “We continue to extend our deepest apologies to the Steiners,” the company said. > “This agreement is consistent with our commitment to fairly compensate the Steiners and fulfills our efforts to make things right.” - [Seven former eBay workers pleaded guilty and received sentences of up to 57 months in prison for participating in the scheme.](https://truthscore.com/claim/4b68c901) > Seven former eBay workers pleaded guilty and received sentences of as high as 57 months in prison for participating in the scheme - [Several of the former eBay employees traveled from California to Natick, Massachusetts, to surveil David and Ina Steiner and tried to install a GPS tracking…](https://truthscore.com/claim/03c07d95) > which also involved several of them traveling from California to Natick, Massachusetts, to surveil the Steiners and try to install a GPS tracking device on their car - [Prosecutors said the aim of the campaign was to silence David and Ina Steiner after senior executives deemed their newsletter, EcommerceBytes, critical of eBay.](https://truthscore.com/claim/8d238640) > Prosecutors have said that the aim was to silence them after senior executives deemed their newsletter, EcommerceBytes, critical of the company. - [The harassment campaign began after Devin Wenig, then CEO, in August 2019 texted Steve Wymer, then chief communications officer, that it was time to “take her…](https://truthscore.com/claim/0e980e41) > The campaign began after the then CEO, Devin Wenig, in August 2019 texted Steve Wymer, then ​its chief communications officer, that it was time to “take her down”, referring to Ina Steiner, according to prosecutors and the Steiners. - [eBay was criminally charged and agreed in 2024 to pay a $3 million fine.](https://truthscore.com/claim/16b7dedb) > Ebay itself was criminally charged and agreed in 2024 to pay a $3m fine. - [Devin Wenig was never charged.](https://truthscore.com/claim/7447bbdd) > Wenig, a former Thomson Reuters executive who stepped down as eBay’s CEO in September 2019, was never charged. - [Wenig’s lawyers argued that he had no knowledge or involvement in the harassment campaign and that his messages advocated a public‑relations strategy to…](https://truthscore.com/claim/97d0cbd9) > His lawyers have argued he had no knowledge or involvement in the harassment campaign and that his messages had been advocating for a ⁠public relations strategy to address Ina Steiner’s reporting. - [Wenig will pay David and Ina Steiner $2 million and make a $1 million donation to a charity focused on protecting first‑amendment rights in Ina Steiner’s name.](https://truthscore.com/claim/45f1efd8) > As part of the settlement, the Steiners’ attorneys said Wenig will ​pay them $2m and make a $1m ​donation to a charity focused on protecting first amendment ​rights in the name of Ina Steiner. - [Wenig said that no one should ever have been subjected to what the Steiners endured in 2019 and expressed sadness because it occurred during his time as CEO of…](https://truthscore.com/claim/817c4f80) > “No one should ever have been subjected to what the Steiners endured in ​2019, and I’m saddened by ‌it, especially because it occurred ​during my time as CEO ​of eBay,” Wenig said in a statement on Tuesday. - [Wendy Jones will pay David and Ina Steiner $500,000 and Steve Wymer will pay them $50,000, respectively.](https://truthscore.com/claim/cd67812c) > Wendy Jones, who previously served as senior vice-president of global operations, and Wymer will pay the couple $500,000 and $50,000, respectively, the plaintiffs say. - [Additional settlements were reached with all other eBay employees named in the lawsuit, according to the Steiners’ lawyers.](https://truthscore.com/claim/84be9252) > The Steiners’ lawyers said additional settlements were reached with all other eBay employees named in their lawsuit. ## What it cost Reading this document into the graph cost <$0.01.