eBay has agreed to pay nearly $50 million to Massachusetts journalists David and Ina Steiner, finalizing a settlement in a lawsuit tied to a 2019 cyberstalking and harassment campaign. The agreement resolves a long-running legal fight over conduct the couple said was carried out by former company employees.
According to the case, the Steiners were targeted with threats and a series of disturbing anonymous deliveries. Those items reportedly included live cockroaches and a bloody pig mask, turning the episode into one of the most shocking corporate harassment scandals involving a major tech and e-commerce company.
The newly finalized settlement closes a major civil dispute stemming from the incident. While the people accused of carrying out the campaign were former employees rather than current company leadership, the case raised broader questions about corporate oversight, responsibility and the fallout from employee misconduct.
For eBay, the payout marks a costly end to another chapter of legal and reputational damage linked to the scandal. For David and Ina Steiner, the settlement brings formal resolution to a case that drew national attention because of the bizarre and threatening nature of the harassment.
