eBay’s bizarre cyberstalking saga ends with a $56 million settlement

The Department of Justice charged seven former eBay employees in connection with the harassment campaign in 2020, all of whom have been convicted . eBay agreed to pay a $3 million criminal penalty related to the case in 2024. Wenig wasn’t charged and says that he had no knowledge of the harassment.

“As we have long stated, what the Steiners were subjected to by former eBay employees in 2019 was wrong, reprehensible and should never have happened,” eBay says in a statement on its website. “We condemn, in the strongest terms possible, the employees who perpetrated and pled guilty to criminal charges for the misconduct against Ina and David Steiner.”

The $55.7 million settlement will include $46.15 million from eBay, $2 million from Wenig, $500,000 from former global operations SVP Wendy Jones, and $50,000 from former chief communications officer Steve Wymer. eBay will also donate $6 million to nonprofit organizations.