Thank you David...as always, the media maven. rudy On Tue, Jun 16, 2020 at 1:12 PM David Kusumoto <[email protected]> wrote:
> Sorry for not responding to requests until hours later. This story may > have since been updated - but the WSJ gave it the biggest play this morning > - because it was also threatened by eBay. > > > Because it and the NY Times - gave it big play - copycat news > organizations have since followed, piggy-backing on the WSJ's original > research and delving into the complaint itself. > > > > Note that in all news accounts, eBay responds by distancing itself - > saying that all defendants no longer work for eBay. It's obvious that it > knew about the federal investigations well before yesterday's announcement > by the DOJ - and was bracing for the worst while launching a damage control > strategy in its prepared statements to news organizations. > > > > Nevertheless, here is the longer WSJ story as it appeared on this > morning's front page. The WSJ has always had a paywall for its exclusively > researched content. > > > > The shorter NY Times version should be accessible to all in private mode. > > > > ================= > > ================= > > ================= > > > *PAGE ONE - WALL STREET JOURNAL* > > > > *JUSTICE DEPARTMENT CHARGES FORMER eBay STAFF WITH 'CYBERSTALKING > CAMPAIGN'* > > > > *Cockroaches, a bloody-pig mask: six former workers at eBay are alleged to > have stalked a newsletter editor.* > > > > By Sebastian Herrera for the Wall Street Journal > > Tuesday, June 16, 2020 > > > > ------ > > > > The U.S. Department of Justice has charged six former workers at eBay Inc. > with leading a cyberstalking campaign against a Massachusetts couple who > publish an e-commerce blog, EcommerceBytes, that criticized the company. > > > > The department on Monday said the attacks included sending the couple > threatening Twitter messages and packages that contained live cockroaches, > a funeral wreath and a bloody-pig mask. > > > > The department also alleges that the defendants, whose responsibilities > included security and global intelligence, conducted covert surveillance of > the Natick, Mass., couple. > > > > ------ > > > > The alleged actions by the employees, whom eBay fired in September after > an investigation, followed criticism of EcommerceBytes by top executives > that included Devin Wenig, the company's chief executive at the time, > according to the complaint, which doesn't identify Mr. Wenig by name. > > > > "We are going to crush this lady," an unnamed eBay executive texted on > April 10, 2019, to another unnamed eBay executive, identified as "Executive > 1" in the complaint. > > > > The text included a link to an EcommerceBytes blog post about "Executive > 1's compensation," the complaint says. > > > > The blog post is titled "eBay CEO Devin Wenig Earns 152 Times That of > Employees," indicating that Mr. Wenig is Executive 1 in the complaint. That > person hasn't been charged. > > > > ------ > > > > Later, after an unspecified EcommerceBytes post on May 31, Mr. Wenig > texted: "Take her down." > > > > At another point, he also used an expletive to refer to The Wall Street > Journal's coverage of the company. "The journal is next on the list," he > said in the text, according to the complaint. > > > > It couldn't be determined if the Journal or any of its reporters was > targeted. > > > > ------ > > > > Early in 2019, EBay was locked in a battle with activist investors Elliott > Management Corp. and Starboard Value LP, which were pushing for board seats > and a deal that it was believed could lead to a company breakup. > > > > EBay has since sold off the ticketing site StubHub and is considering a > sale of its classifieds unit to assuage Elliott and Starboard. > > > > "It goes pretty far up the chain at eBay," U.S. Attorney Andrew Lelling > said Monday at a news conference. He noted that the Justice Department > investigation continues. > > > > ------ > > > > Ina Steiner, the editor of EcommerceBytes and the author of the posts, as > well as her husband David Steiner, didn't respond to requests for comment > Monday. > > > > EBay on Monday said it was notified by law enforcement in August of > suspicious activity by the company's security personnel directed at the > newsletter editor and her husband, who serves as publisher. > > > > The online marketplace said it immediately launched an investigation and > in September fired all those staff involved in the campaign. > > > > The company said its investigation included examining whether then-CEO > Wenig might have played a role in the harassment of the editor and > publisher. > > > > The company said that while it found that some of Mr. Wenig's > communications at the time "were inappropriate," it found no evidence that > he knew in advance or authorized any actions against the couple. > > > > Mr. Wenig resigned in September over what he said were disagreements with > eBay's board, including clashes over the sale of assets. > > > > In a statement Monday, Mr. Wenig said he didn't direct or know anything > about the alleged acts involving the former eBay employees. "What these > charges allege is unconscionable," he said. > > > > "EBay does not tolerate this kind of behavior," a special committee formed > by eBay's board of directors said Monday. "EBay holds its employees to > high standards of conduct and ethics and will continue to take appropriate > action to ensure these standards are followed." > > > > ------ > > > > Those charged included James Baugh, who was senior director of safety and > security at eBay, David Harville, formerly director of global resiliency, > and Brian Gilbert, a manager in the company's global security team. > > > > The other defendants are Stephanie Popp, Stephanie Stockwell and > contractor Veronica Zea, all of whom worked in eBay's global intelligence > operations. > > > > Mr. Baugh and Mr. Harville were arrested Monday on charges of conspiracy > to commit cyberstalking and conspiracy to tamper with witness, each of > which carry a potential sentence of up to five years in prison. > > > > Mr. Gilbert, Ms. Popp, Ms. Stockwell and Ms. Zea also face the same > charges and are scheduled to appear in federal court, the department said. > > > > The defendants couldn't be reached for comment. > > > > ------ > > > > The alleged cyberstalking began after the newsletter wrote about > litigation involving the online marketplace, according to the complaint. > > > > Members of eBay's executive team followed the newsletter's posts and often > took issues with its content, according to the Justice Department. > > > > ------ > > > > The former employees allegedly carried out the harassment campaign in > three parts. > > > > They sent items including a preserved fetal pig, a bloody-pig Halloween > mask and a book on surviving the loss of a spouse, the department said. > > > > Some of the former employees also sent private messages over Twitter, as > well as public tweets, criticizing the newsletter, according to the > department. > > > > In a third phase, the former employees spied on the couple at their home > and community, the department said. > > > > ------ > > > > On Aug. 15, Mr. Baugh, Mr. Harville and Ms. Zea allegedly drove to the > couple's home with the intent of breaking into their garage and installing > a GPS tracking device on their car. > > > > In the event that they were stopped by police, Mr. Baugh and Mr. Harville > carried false documents purporting to show they were investigating the > couple in connection with threats to eBay executives, the department said. > > > > The couple, however, detected the covert attempt and notified police, who > began an investigation. > > > > The former employees attempted to interfere with evidence and lied to the > police about eBay's involvement, the department said. > > > > ------ > > > > The charges Monday cap off a turbulent period for eBay. > > > > Mr. Wenig's departure in September was part of an exodus of eBay > executives and managers last year. The former CEO said at the time that > he had disagreements with eBay's board, which was deliberating selling > assets of the company after pressure from activist investors Elliott > Management Corp. and Starboard Value LP. > > > > EBay, which in April named Walmart Inc. executive Jamie Iannone as its new > CEO, has considered selling its classified-advertising business, which > could be worth $10 billion, The Wall Street Journal has reported. In > February, eBay closed the sale of its StubHub ticket-sales unit in a $4.05 > billion deal with Viagogo Entertainment Inc. > > > > ------ > > > > EcommerceBytes writes extensively about eBay. The site published short > posts about several of the executives who recently departed and also > critical takes on actions at the company. > > > > In one post dealing with an eBay lawsuit against Amazon filed last year, > Ms. Steiner wrote that Mr. Wenig, the former eBay CEO, "demonstrated a lack > of appreciation" for third-party sellers who want to sell on various tech > platforms. > > > > In another post in May 2019, the site reported that eBay had built on its > campus an expensive replica of a popular Manhattan bar. The article noted > that Mr. Wenig was a New York City transplant. > > > > "EBay is charging sellers more and offering less (see its 2019 > first-quarter financials)" Ms. Steiner wrote. "They might be wondering what > took investors so long to speak up on how the company's management and > board of directors are using the revenue generated by sellers' fees. Stiff > drink, anyone?" > > > > Comments on articles about eBay at times were critical of the company and > its executives. > > > ------------------------------ > *From:* MoPo List <[email protected]> on behalf of David > Kusumoto <[email protected]> > *Sent:* Monday, June 15, 2020 11:36 PM > *To:* [email protected] <[email protected]> > *Subject:* Re: Former eBay employees allegedly used cockroaches, spiders, > and a gruesome mask to harass a couple > > The story is on the FRONT PAGE of tomorrow's WSJ - and - on page 1 of > Section B in tomorrow's New York Times. > > *In the WSJ story, Ina and David are named:* > > "Ina Steiner, the editor of EcommerceBytes and the author of the posts, as > well as her husband David Steiner, didn’t respond to requests for comment > Monday." > > The WSJ reports that eBay CEO Devin Wenig texted (about the Ina Steiner) - > "Take her down." At another point, Wenig used an expletive to refer to the > Wall Street Journal’s coverage of eBay, adding, "The journal is next on the > list." > > ** The attached picture is an example of what was sent to Ina and David's > home, i.e., a bloodied pig's head mask - and a book entitled, "Surviving > the Loss of a Spouse."* > > https://imagizer.imageshack.com/img923/9108/gS8Ps8.jpg > <https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fimagizer.imageshack.com%2Fimg923%2F9108%2FgS8Ps8.jpg&data=02%7C01%7C%7Cbc714cce03054a17429708d811bfa1e7%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C637278862036277214&sdata=vfFIACGFNhws7DCBUrTYZ0IBbuvnesyg0JnqdehbQZA%3D&reserved=0> > > If you hit a paywall, let me know and I - (or anyone else who has access) > - will post the full text later. > > -------------------------- > > *Tuesday, June 16, 2020* > *PAGE ONE - Front Page, A1 - Wall Street Journal* > > *JUSTICE DEPARTMENT CHARGES FORMER eBay STAFF WITH 'CYBERSTALKING > CAMPAIGN'* > > > https://www.wsj.com/articles/justice-department-charges-former-ebay-employees-with-cyberstalking-campaign-11592241507 > <https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.wsj.com%2Farticles%2Fjustice-department-charges-former-ebay-employees-with-cyberstalking-campaign-11592241507&data=02%7C01%7C%7Cbc714cce03054a17429708d811bfa1e7%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C637278862036287200&sdata=o1KlKj6bZOaZ%2BRm34w2UsSyCSMliU3ikChLVJ46D3nA%3D&reserved=0> > > <https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.wsj.com%2Farticles%2Fjustice-department-charges-former-ebay-employees-with-cyberstalking-campaign-11592241507&data=02%7C01%7C%7Cbc714cce03054a17429708d811bfa1e7%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C637278862036297193&sdata=tfswfprmR3ho3P3ftRfW%2FfL%2B3r5Fu%2B8tddO1KodSfiw%3D&reserved=0> > Justice Department Charges Former eBay Staff With ‘Cyberstalking Campaign’ > - WSJ > <https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.wsj.com%2Farticles%2Fjustice-department-charges-former-ebay-employees-with-cyberstalking-campaign-11592241507&data=02%7C01%7C%7Cbc714cce03054a17429708d811bfa1e7%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C637278862036307189&sdata=iHZyoqLaT0RYomxr1TWgHyKC7%2FPIhL%2BXgIPA8aBQg2o%3D&reserved=0> > The U.S. Department of Justice has charged six former workers at eBay Inc. > with leading a cyberstalking campaign against a Massachusetts couple who > publish an e-commerce blog, EcommerceBytes, that ... > www.wsj.com > > --------------------------- > > *Tuesday, June 16, 2020* > *Section B, Page 1 NY Times* > > *U.S. SAYS LIVE ROACHES WERE SENT TO eBay CRITICS.* > > > https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/15/technology/ebay-cyberstalking-with-cockroaches-and-bloody-pig-face.html > <https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nytimes.com%2F2020%2F06%2F15%2Ftechnology%2Febay-cyberstalking-with-cockroaches-and-bloody-pig-face.html&data=02%7C01%7C%7Cbc714cce03054a17429708d811bfa1e7%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C637278862036317185&sdata=ZKAc4m0OPTdJTVKp86hwwlmXZqBLwhX%2BQ34rSH6IGro%3D&reserved=0> > > <https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nytimes.com%2F2020%2F06%2F15%2Ftechnology%2Febay-cyberstalking-with-cockroaches-and-bloody-pig-face.html&data=02%7C01%7C%7Cbc714cce03054a17429708d811bfa1e7%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C637278862036327178&sdata=%2BRfM5nffbIgrPfHShfptIoTCtt1R0ObW0aFIGrIRZOQ%3D&reserved=0> > Ex-eBay Workers Sent Critics Live Roaches and a Mask of a Bloody Pig Face, > U.S. Says - The New York Times > <https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nytimes.com%2F2020%2F06%2F15%2Ftechnology%2Febay-cyberstalking-with-cockroaches-and-bloody-pig-face.html&data=02%7C01%7C%7Cbc714cce03054a17429708d811bfa1e7%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C637278862036337177&sdata=23sr5D7opzwt%2FusW451QhxiAZPesac4zwaFeJTprDdE%3D&reserved=0> > Six former employees of the site sent threatening messages and deliveries > to a couple after the e-commerce newsletter they published wrote about a > lawsuit involving eBay. Joseph R. Bonavolonta ... > www.nytimes.com > > ========================================== > On 2020-06-15 21:25, Bruce Hershenson wrote: > > UNBELIEVABLE! 21 years ago, when I moved my auction business entirely > online, I met a couple, Ina and David Steiner, who had just started a site > devoted to online auctions called https://www.ecommercebytes.com/ > <https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ecommercebytes.com%2F&data=02%7C01%7C%7Cbc714cce03054a17429708d811bfa1e7%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C637278862036347170&sdata=cBPWO%2FDbrChL6WDHUVHNgZNtqPO37NvaQNskgIhsC%2FU%3D&reserved=0> > > I found (and have continued to find over the years since) that their site > was one of the only online sites to provide the "straight dope" about > online selling. Naturally this included much negative information about > eBay, as the auction site did all they could to keep raising fees on their > sellers, while adding insane regulations to being a seller. I left Bay in > 2007 after 330,000 auctions there, and ecommercebytes covered my departure > honestly and fairly. > > NOW, this has happened, and it is something NO ONE could possibly have > expected from ANY company. The couple referred to in the article below > (although they are unnamed) ARE Ina and David Steiner, and I guarantee > reading this will turn your stomach. :( > > https://www.cnn.com/2020/06/15/tech/ebay-cyberstalking/index.html > <https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cnn.com%2F2020%2F06%2F15%2Ftech%2Febay-cyberstalking%2Findex.html&data=02%7C01%7C%7Cbc714cce03054a17429708d811bfa1e7%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C637278862036347170&sdata=aqEVbVjc5P66G%2BWlfqgXaD4hDY956oTtDemUalGL23U%3D&reserved=0> > > <https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cnn.com%2F2020%2F06%2F15%2Ftech%2Febay-cyberstalking%2Findex.html&data=02%7C01%7C%7Cbc714cce03054a17429708d811bfa1e7%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C637278862036357166&sdata=qGlq%2FHeIIoKFyhbMUYt7ZcKcOUFTeWs5GbYdMhUuRmg%3D&reserved=0> > eBay: Former employees allegedly used cockroaches, spiders, and a gruesome > mask to harass a couple - CNN > <https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cnn.com%2F2020%2F06%2F15%2Ftech%2Febay-cyberstalking%2Findex.html&data=02%7C01%7C%7Cbc714cce03054a17429708d811bfa1e7%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C637278862036367161&sdata=TTqHrpaojlPucK%2BEE1dqgNWVv35ZVFkFhInsNO9cmZU%3D&reserved=0> > Six former eBay employees face charges for cyberstalking and tampering > with evidence after, according to federal prosecutors, they harassed a > Boston-area couple who ran a news site that was at ... > www.cnn.com > > > ------------------------------ > > To unsubscribe from the MoPo-L list, click the following link: > https://listserv.american.edu/scripts/wa-american.exe?SUBED1=MoPo-L&A=1 > <https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Flistserv.american.edu%2Fscripts%2Fwa-american.exe%3FSUBED1%3DMoPo-L%26A%3D1&data=02%7C01%7C%7Cbc714cce03054a17429708d811bfa1e7%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C637278862036377158&sdata=H0FnxgAHV3xOw5GHdeTwS96ohV2TWxAxrzLSNVEzWpY%3D&reserved=0> > > ------------------------------ > > To unsubscribe from the MoPo-L list, click the following link: > https://listserv.american.edu/scripts/wa-american.exe?SUBED1=MoPo-L&A=1 > -- rudy franchi [email protected] 1228 S. Holt Los Angeles, CA 90035 310 360 0830 617 216 5511 ( cel ) Entertainment Memorabilia Appraiser: Antiques Roadshow < http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/roadshow> Author: MURDER ON THE ROAD SHOW www.murderontheroadshow.com Twitter: @rudynostalgia Poster Information Site: http://www.posterappraisal.com Co-Author of COLLECTING THE MOVIES Official suppliers of movie poster images: IMDb <http://www.imdb.com> WikiLeaks Entry: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rudy_Franchi *They keep telling me that nothing is impossible, which I find strange because I do nothing every day. * Visit the MoPo Mailing List Web Site at www.filmfan.com ___________________________________________________________________ How to UNSUBSCRIBE from the MoPo Mailing List Send a message addressed to: [email protected] In the BODY of your message type: SIGNOFF MOPO-L The author of this message is solely responsible for its content.
