The internet is a great place to voice your opinion (complimentary or otherwise) and be heard, right? Well, for one couple based in Natick, Massachusetts, an e-commerce newsletter they wrote and published on a lawsuit involving eBay made them a target of an year-long stalking and terrorizing campaign.
The Guardian quoted US attorney Andrew Lelling saying, “This was a determined, systematic effort by senior employees of a major company to destroy the lives of a couple in Natick all because they published content that company executives didn’t like.”
Six eBay employees, including a former police captain in California, last year engaged in a relentless campaign of harassment and cyberstalking of a Natick couple that published a newsletter critical of the company. https://t.co/vCrB8bxAas
— The Boston Globe (@BostonGlobe) June 15, 2020
According to BBC, two former eBay executives (James Baugh, senior director of safety & security and David Harville, director of global resiliency) were arrested yesterday and 4 former managers/analysts (Stephanie Popp, Brian Gilbert, Stephanie Stockwell, and Veronica Zea) were charged with cyberstalking and tampering with witnesses.
Text messages between executives have surfaced where they are plotting to “take her down” saying, “She is biased troll who needs to get BURNED DOWN,” and “We are going to crush this lady.”
The New York Times reports that it was a three-pronged campaign including:
- “Anonymous and disturbing deliveries” of a bloody pig mask, live insects, a funeral wreath, and pornography sent to neighbours with the couple’s name & address.
- Threatening tweets and messages, posting their private information online.
- Stalking, spying their residence to install a tracking device in the garage.
As alleged, the extensive harassment campaign launched by these six @eBayemployees included sending embarrassing & disturbing deliveries to the Natick couple's home, including a bloody pig mask, sympathy wreath, a book on how to survive the loss of a spouse, & live insects. pic.twitter.com/U2d1fgsLJD
— FBI Boston (@FBIBoston) June 15, 2020
The company’s official statement said that it had “terminated all involved employees, including the Company’s former Chief Communications Officer, in September 2019,” after “a comprehensive investigation”.
What a distressing campaign full of hate, anger and harassment. We hope that they are punished for their crimes.