Overview
- A settlement announced July 27 resolved the Steiners’ civil suit with roughly $55.7–$56 million in payments, including about $46.15 million from eBay and $7 million set for charities.
- The lawsuit grew from a 2019 campaign that, according to filings and eBay admissions to prosecutors, sent live insects, a fetal pig, a bloody mask, pornographic deliveries to a neighbor, Craigslist lures, unwanted visitors, and an attempted GPS install at the Steiners’ home.
- Federal prosecutors charged seven former eBay employees and contractors in 2020; all pleaded guilty and several received prison or confinement sentences, and the DOJ charged eBay in January 2024 leading to a $3 million corporate penalty and a three-year independent compliance monitor.
- Internal documents produced in litigation show senior executives used aggressive language about stopping the coverage and outline plans by security staff to stage a fake resolution, though some former executives deny authorizing the harassment.
- Because the deal is not confidential the Steiners may continue speaking publicly about the case, and the settlement’s public terms are meant to deter similar corporate intimidation and keep oversight of eBay’s reforms visible.