Former eBay employees admit guilt in alleged cyberstalking plot against bloggers

A placard displays photographs of evidence in the case including a bloody pig mask and a book titled 'Surviving the Loss of a Spouse which were sent to the couple

The victims, who have not been named by police, were targeted in 2019 after eBay executives allegedly became “enraged” about negative coverage on the couple’s website, according to the complaint. 

They went on to lead a “systemic campaign fuelled by the resources of a Fortune 500 company to emotionally and psychologically terrorise this middle-aged couple, with the goal of deterring them from writing bad things online about eBay," US Attorney Andrew Lelling said during a press conference on the arrests in June. 

This included posting pornography to the couple’s neighbours in their name, sending fly larvae and live spiders. The employees are also accused of setting up social media accounts, internet and smartphone contracts to make it appear as if the couples’ readers were sending the packages. 

They are also alleged to have published a classified advert on digital forum Craigslist claiming to be from the couple, inviting “swingers” to their address for a party after 10pm every evening. 

Six former eBay employees are accused by prosecutors of concocting a plot to create fake social media accounts to harass the couple 

Four of the employees allegedly drove to the victims’ home at various times, with Mr Harville and Mr Baugh allegedly planning to break into the victims’ garage and install a GPS tracking device on their car.

Devin Wenig, former eBay chief executive officer, last year texted his former communications chief, Steve Wymer, expressing his concern over the unflattering posts made by the couple and asked him to “take her down”. 

In the weeks that followed, a plot was masterminded by lower ranking employees to cyberstalk the couple to scare them out of continuing with their blog and newsletter, which covered numerous issues with selling items on the auction site. 

There is no suggestion in court documents that Mr Wenig instructed his employees to go after the couple. He left the company in 2019. 

An eBay spokesman said in July: “The internal investigation found that, while Mr Wenig’s communications were inappropriate, there was no evidence that he knew in advance about or authorised the actions that were later directed toward the blogger and her husband.

“However, as the company previously announced, there were a number of considerations leading to his departure."

Ebay fired all six allegedly involved employees in September 2019 along with Mr Wenig.