Historic civil rights settlement includes $55.7 million in compensation and charitable commitments – including personal financial contributions from former eBay executives, a public statement by eBay, and no confidentiality restrictions.
EVERETT, Mass. — July 27, 2026 — Scalli Murphy Law, P.C. today announced a landmark civil rights settlement resolving the civil litigation brought by David and Ina Steiner, reporters and founders of the news site EcommerceBytes, against eBay, Inc., several former eBay executives, and other employees arising from the company’s widely publicized 2019 cyberstalking and harassment campaign designed to stop their reporting.
The settlement follows over six years of criminal and civil proceedings. In addition to substantial compensation for the plaintiffs, the resolution includes significant charitable commitments, personal financial contributions from former eBay executives, a public statement by eBay, and no confidentiality restrictions.
Under the settlement:
- The plaintiffs will receive $48.7 million in compensation, including $46.15 million from eBay, $2 million from former eBay executive CEO Devin Wenig, $500,000 from former eBay executive Wendy Jones, and $50,000 from former eBay executive Steve Wymer.
- eBay will fund $6 million in charitable contributions to various nonprofit organizations. Former eBay executive CEO Devin Wenig will contribute an additional $1 million to a charity dedicated to protecting First Amendment rights in the name of Ina Steiner.
- eBay will issue a strongly-worded public statement regarding the conduct of former eBay CEO Devin Wenig and former eBay executives Steve Wymer and Wendy Jones in connection with the events occurring in Natick, MA and the culture of the company in 2019.
- The settlement contains no confidentiality provision, allowing the Steiners to publicly discuss the facts of the case and its resolution.
- Additional and separate settlements were reached with all other eBay employees named in the civil action.
Scalli Murphy Law was the first law firm involved in the matter. In 2019, while the harassment campaign was still underway, David and Ina Steiner contacted the firm seeking help. Scalli Murphy Law assisted the Steiners who were ultimately able to involve the Natick police and FBI investigators.
The United States Department of Justice, through the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts, indicted former eBay employees Jim Baugh, David Harville, Brian Gilbert, Stephanie Popp, Stephanie Stockwell, Philip Cooke, and former eBay contractor Veronica Zea. Each ultimately pleaded guilty for their roles in the terror campaign.
eBay itself was also criminally charged and entered into a Deferred Prosecution Agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice, agreeing to pay the maximum available criminal fine of $3 million and undertake serious corrective action.
The Steiners filed a civil lawsuit against all defendants in 2021.
In the spring of 2024, after changing counsel, the Steiners retained Scalli Murphy Law, Diller Law LLP, Finkelstein & Partners LLP, and Finkelstein, Blankinship, Frei-Pearson & Garber, LLP—to lead the civil litigation.
“This case was always about more than obtaining financial recovery. From the beginning, our clients wanted to uncover the truth, protect journalists and publishers, hold those responsible accountable, deter future corporate misconduct, and help ensure others would never have to endure what they experienced. Through years of discovery, motion practice and trial preparation, we were able to accomplish those objectives while securing meaningful compensation for two wonderful people. We believe this resolution sends a clear message that corporations and their executives cannot engage in this type of misconduct without facing significant consequences,” said Christopher Murphy.
Additional background information regarding the litigation, criminal proceedings and settlement is available upon request.
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Media inquiries: Scalli Murphy Law, P.C., 537 Broadway, Everett, MA 02149 · (617) 387-7000 · Contact the firm