Ex-eBay Security Officials on Trial Over Cyberstalking Op
At eBay, Lurid Crimes and the Search for Punishment

The victims of a bizarre cyberstalking operation are trying to hold the chief executive and the culture of the company responsible.

These questions will be considered this fall in three Boston courtrooms. In two of them, members of the eBay security team are being sentenced for stalking, witness tampering and other crimes. A total of seven former employees have pleaded guilty. The first perpetrator to appear before the judge said he was too drunk during his brief stint at eBay to understand what was going on. It worked: He got a lighter sentence.

In the final courtroom, something more complicated and far-reaching is happening. The Steiners are suing eBay, Mr. Wenig, who is no longer chief executive, and many others, saying the campaign against them was not the activity of a rogue team but something closer to official company policy.

You don’t send your employees with paramilitary training to break into their garage so you can follow them around and torture them.”

Mr. Wenig, according to their suit, gave eBay security employees “carte blanche authority to terminate the reporting of the Steiners by whatever means necessary.”

Mr. Wymer’s first text to Mr. Baugh repeats Mr. Wenig’s text: “If we are ever going to take her down … now is the time.” Then Mr. Wymer writes: “She is biased troll who needs to get BURNED DOWN.”

And finally he says: “I’ll embrace managing any bad fallout. We need to STOP her.”

To the casual observer, this might sound like a formal campaign authorized from on high. And even eBay, in a presentation it made to prosecutors asking that the company itself not be charged with wrongdoing, said it “recognizes that their improper tone contributed significantly to the crimes.”

“Mr. Baugh acted at eBay’s behest,” his lawyers said. The company turned to him so he could solve the problem of the Steiners “by less conventional means.”

It’s a strange turnabout: The guy who was in charge of terrorizing the Steiners, and whom they will undoubtedly speak against at his Sept. 29 sentencing, is now backing up their claims.

Global Security and Resiliency, consisted of dozens of people, including retired police captains and former security consultants. But it was surprisingly intimate. “We’re a family,” James Baugh, the boss, and Stephanie Popp, her immediate supervisor, would say to the analysts. “We’re Mom and Dad.”   nytimes.com


The list of former eBay employees involved and charged in the scheme:

In June 2020, Baugh was arrested and charged along with David Harville, eBay’s former Director of Global Resiliency. Co-conspirators and former eBay employees:

Philip Cooke -former supervisor of security operations for eBay’s European and Asian offices, sentenced in July 2021 to 18 months in prison. (Philip Cooke DOJ Sentencing)

Brian Gilbert - former Senior Manager of Special Operations for eBay’s Global Security Team, pled guilty Oct 8, 2020 - awaiting sentencing

Stephanie Popp - former Senior Manager of Global Intelligence, pled guilty Oct 8, 2020 - awaiting sentencing

Veronica Zea - former eBay contractor who worked as an intelligence analyst in eBay’s Global Intelligence Center (GIC), pled guilty and awaiting sentencing.

Stephanie Stockwell - former manager of eBay’s GIC. Previously pleaded guilty on Oct, 27, 2020

David Harville has pleaded not guilty and is awaiting trial.


Here's the Daily's full coverage on the case from the beginning:

September 20, 2022: At eBay, Lurid Crimes and the Search for Punishmenting Campaign

April 26, 2022: Ex-eBay Sr. Director of Safety & Security Pleads Guilty to Role in Cyberstalking Campaigny

July 22, 2021: eBay's Top Execs Ordered 'Terrorism' Campaign, Couple Say

Nov. 4, 2020: Two Ex-eBay Security Executives Indicted on More Charges in Cyberstalking Scandal

Sept. 28, 2020: 'Inside eBay's Cockroach Cult: The Ghastly Story of a Stalking Scandal'

July 8, 2020: Seventh Former eBay Employee Charged in Aggressive Cyberstalking Campaign

June 22, 2020: ● eBay's Former CEO Denies Any Link to Cyberstalking
● eBay's Two Efforts - Separate & Independent - Asset Protection & Global Security
● eBay corporate statement provided to the Daily

June 18, 2020: 'Having a Prosperous LP Career Without Compromising Ethical & Moral Standards'
- Op/Ed article by John Velke, SVP of Risk Management & Loss Prevention, Total Wine & More

June 17, 2020: EBay's Former PR Chief Is 'Executive 2' in Cyberstalking Indictment

June 16, 2020: What They're All Saying - The Story Behind the Story - eBay's Former CEO Directed His Rage?

June 15, 2020: Former Senior Director of Safety & Security & Other Global Security Team Members Arrested, Facing 5 Yrs Prison & 3 Yrs Supervised Release & $250,000 Fine

June 15, 2020 Special Report: "Emotionally & Psychologically Terrorizing Middle-Aged Couple"