8 ms·

> Two unnamed executive are included in the complaint that had roles above Baugh. eBay just released a statement[0] which alludes to both the Chief Communicati

> Two unnamed executive are included in the complaint that had roles above Baugh. eBay just released a statement[0] which alludes to both the Chief Communications Officer and the CEO (!) having been involved. edit: Another article[1] provides more details, including that "an eBay executive told Baugh that he wanted to 'crush' those responsible for the newsletter while another executive told Baugh to 'take her down.'" One of these must be the "inappropriate communications" by the CEO, Devin Wenig, mentioned in eBay's statement. edit 2: Still more details in another[2] article, including quotes from communications between "Executive 1" and "Executive 2." [0] https://finance.yahoo.com/news/ebay-inc-issues-statement-regarding-162400706.html https://finance.yahoo.com/news/ebay-inc-issues-statement-reg... [1] https://natick.wickedlocal.com/news/20200615/6-former-ebay-employees-face-federal-charges-after-extensive-campaign-of-harassment-against-natick-couple https://natick.wickedlocal.com/news/20200615/6-former-ebay-e... [2] https://www.bostonglobe.com/2020/06/15/metro/six-former-ebay-employees-charged-federal-cyberstalking-case-targeting-natick-couple/ https://www.bostonglobe.com/2020/06/15/metro/six-former-ebay...

tsomctl 6y ago
I buy a ton of things off eBay. This is seriously making me not want to do business with them again.
- afandian 6y ago
  Not having read / watched the press brefing my first reaction to this comment was, I admit, a bit eye-rolly. Then I watched it. If that is your reaction, seriously, go and watch it. It really is an extraordinary set of allegations. It's nine minutes long and it just gets weirder and weirder.
  - rideontime 6y ago
    And he's still leaving details out! I can't wait to read the complaint itself.
- thorwasdfasdf 6y ago
  Yup, same here.
- wolco 6y ago
  The CEO gets fired and you want to punish the company who fired him. Who's side are you on?
  - alt219 6y ago
    I take it as the CEO left for reasons stated at the time as other than this incident, when in fact eBay actually knew about the CEO’s involvement but hoped the real reason wouldn’t ever come out.
  - vkou 6y ago
    The company created an environment which enabled this sort of behaviour. This wasn't some rogue employee operating under the radar - this was a conspiracy through multiple levels of management.
  - DonHopkins 6y ago
    Yet you have no problem with the company hiring the rotten CEO and psychotic crooked ex-cops in the first place, enabling them to mail cockroaches and bloody pig masks to intimidate critics, then initially covering up the actual reason they fired him, until they got caught. Since you asked first, I have to ask you the same question: Whose side are YOU on? Are you a cockroach or bloody pig mask salesman, or maybe a psycho crooked ex-cop recruiter and job placement specialist? >18. On April 10, 2019, for example, Executive 2 texted Executive 1, "We are going to crush this lady", sending along a link to the Newsletter's coverage that day of Executive 1's compensation. Are you really on the side of the lady crushers, and have to ask why other people aren't?
  - deleted 6y ago
    [deleted]
deleted 6y ago
[deleted]
ghaff 6y ago
That reads as if there was no actual smoking gun to directly link the [former] CEO but there were probably at least tangentially related questionable emails. But wow. Head of Corporate Comms among others.
contemporary343 6y ago
If I 'm reading this clearly, this investigation was a material factor in the CEO's departure from eBay! Crazy - he might yet be indicted since the FBI is still investigating..
hogFeast 6y ago
This does not surprise me. Some CEOs are incredibly thin-skinned, they hire a bunch of people who usually got kicked out of the police after they harassed/beat someone, and then self-destruct with their own personal army when they can't handle the heat (you will get criticised daily). Btw, something that was coincident with this (I believe) was the activist campaign against EBay...again, the number of executives who self-destruct when they see proof that they are bad at their job is significant (I wouldn't like to venture a guess at a proportion but I have seen this 10+ times). Just imo, the problem is always lack of oversight. Boards not really asking whether the executives are up to the job, fat expense accounts with lots of these ex-police nutjobs stalking people, it is just total madness. Companies become captured by these executives. (I used to know a guy who ran a relatively small fund but used to short sell frauds, mainly accounting as the guy used to be an accountant. He had to go to great lengths to hide what he was doing because the second a company found out, they would send people to wait outside his office/follow him/etc. and this is just a nobody guy running a small fund in a mid-tier financial city i.e. not London, or New York, or HK...I call these executives the Harvard Business School Al-Qaeda, truly dangerous people).
- cma 6y ago
  Tesla/Elon got away with what looks like swatting a former employee, and makes use of sketchy freelance sketchy private investigators.
  - hogFeast 6y ago
    Elon is low integrity. I know he is popular here but he just seems like a pretty scummy guy. I know one of the biggest holders of Tesla, and they have said (publicly too, I believe) that he isn't an ethical guy but they still have a huge position (too big to probably sell now tbh)...a lot of wishful thinking with Musk.
  - pengaru 6y ago
    And the fanboys are enthusiastically cheering his efforts to monopolize communications globally via Starlink. If we're going to be stuck with an overlord, he probably shouldn't be such a thin-skinned unscrupulous vindictive narcissist. Edit: Relevant article for the uninformed: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2019-03-13/when-elon-musk-tried-to-destroy-tesla-whistleblower-martin-tripp https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2019-03-13/when-elon...
abbracadabbra 6y ago
A choice quote from the wickedlocal coverage: > Those involved became so concerned that they developed a list of people in California they could frame if authorities tracked the harassment there, Lelling said
- deleted 6y ago
  [deleted]
bozoUser 6y ago
Since this is the top comment, you may also want to edit that Devin Wenig is the former CEO[0] [0] https://www.cnbc.com/2019/09/25/ebay-ceo-devin-wenig-is-stepping-down-as-the-company-continues-review-of-potential-sale-of-assets.html https://www.cnbc.com/2019/09/25/ebay-ceo-devin-wenig-is-step...
- NotSammyHagar 6y ago
  You know they hoped this would never come to light and they wouldn't have to admit that it happened.
rideontime 6y ago
Piggybacking on my own comment to add one last link, to the actual affidavit. Still working my way through all 51 pages, but it's pretty obvious who "Executive 1" is. https://www.scribd.com/document/465728291/FBI-Affidavit-against-eBay-employees-for-harassment https://www.scribd.com/document/465728291/FBI-Affidavit-agai...
extrapolate 6y ago
Looking at the affidavit [1], Executive 1 is definitely the ex-CEO. > "On April 10, 2019... Executive 2 texted Executive 1... sending along a link to the Newsletter’s coverage that day [2] of Executive 1's compensation". [1] https://www.scribd.com/document/465728291/FBI-Affidavit-against-eBay-employees-for-harassment https://www.scribd.com/document/465728291/FBI-Affidavit-agai... [2] https://www.ecommercebytes.com/C/blog/blog.pl?/pl/2019/4/1554870735.html https://www.ecommercebytes.com/C/blog/blog.pl?/pl/2019/4/155...
- contemporary343 6y ago
  Devin Wenig (the ex-CEO) is on GM's board of directors. And.. he's up for re-election tomorrow!
  - SV_BubbleTime 6y ago
    Coincidental timing?
- guiambros 6y ago
  Indeed. From the Boston Globe article [1] "... the article stated that Executive 1 “has been unable to stop a decline in market sales, but trying to dissuade sellers from turning to Amazon (and trying to get Amazon to stop recruiting sellers) may not be the best tactic." From the couple's blog [2]: "eBay's CEO has been unable to stop a decline in marketplace sales, but trying to dissuade sellers from turning to Amazon (and trying to get Amazon to stop recruiting sellers) may not be the best tactic." If proven true, the CEO was not only aware, but also condoned such tactics, and ordered to "Take her down". This will make the situation even worse for ebay's board to justify why they didn't fire the guy on the spot. [1] https://www.bostonglobe.com/2020/06/15/metro/six-former-ebay-employees-charged-federal-cyberstalking-case-targeting-natick-couple/ https://www.bostonglobe.com/2020/06/15/metro/six-former-ebay... [2] https://www.ecommercebytes.com/C/blog/blog.pl?/pl/2019/8/1564681600.html https://www.ecommercebytes.com/C/blog/blog.pl?/pl/2019/8/156...
  - deleted 6y ago
    [deleted]
pwdisswordfish2 6y ago
https://www.ecommercebytes.com/C/blog/blog.pl?/pl/2020/6/1592241873.html https://www.ecommercebytes.com/C/blog/blog.pl?/pl/2020/6/159... It says on June 30, the Ebay CFO and two Ebay board members are "retiring". Commenters in this thread are questioning why this blog was targeted and speculating without any facts. May I suggest reading the FBI's Criminal Complaint: https://web.archive.org/web/20200616015754if_/https://assets.documentcloud.org/documents/6945112/Ebay-Cyberstalking.pdf https://web.archive.org/web/20200616015754if_/https://assets... Additonally, here is a PDF of the FBI's Affidavit, instead of the scribd nonsense. https://regmedia.co.uk/2020/06/15/ebayaffadavit.pdf https://regmedia.co.uk/2020/06/15/ebayaffadavit.pdf For those who will not read the complaint, here's a few excerpts: 18. On April 10, 2019, for example, Executive 2 texted Executive 1, "We are going to crush this lady", sending along a link to the Newsletter's coverage that day of Executive 1's compensation. 19. On April 20, 2019, discussing the Wall Street Journal's coverage of Executive 1, Executive 1 texted to Executive 2, "Fuck them. The journal is next on the list after [Victim 1]." 20. On May 31, 2019, commenting on the Newsletter's coverage of eBay that day, Executive 2 texted to Executive 1, "Shockingly reasonable..." Executive 1 replied, "I couldn t care less what she says." Seconds later, Executive 1 added, "Take her down." 22. Like many news outlets, the Newsletter offered its readers the opportunity to comment underneath Victim 1 s stories. The anonymous comments were sometimes critical of eBay and its executive leadership team. At other times, the comments amounted to namecalling. For example, a May 2015 comment called eBay executives liars and thugs who should be jailed; a May 2017 comment called Executive 1 the devil; and an April 2018 comment stated that Executive 1 was delusional. 23. One commenter in particular, who went by the online nicknames FidoMaster, FidoMaster1, Dan Davis, or UnsuckeBay (collectively, the Parody Account expressed frequent and negative opinions regarding eBay.2 In addition to commenting below the Newsletter s articles, the anonymous author(s) of the Parody Account sometimes posted opinions critical of eBay in Twitter feeds, impersonated official eBay communications using a distorted version of the company's logo, or sent messages that one eBay seller considered to be harassing. 24. On May 21, 2019, for example, the Newsletter reported that eBay had built on its campus an expensive replica of Walker a popular Manhattan bar noting, "It's probably news to sellers (and shareholders?) that eBay has a pub-like lounge on campus especially one built with what appears to be no-expenses spared." FidoMaster1 tweeted a link to the article, noting @[Newsletter] posted about @eBay s beleagured [Executive 1 s] self-indulgent vanity project Walker's West campus bar. The tweet continued, "The bar, [Executive 1's] recreation of iconic @WalkersBarNYC is a throwback to internet and gaming company CEO s lavish overspending on legacy facilities and landmarks." FidoMaster1 also criticized Executive 1 for undertaking the project while eBay was experiencing cost reduction, layoffs, and scrutiny by activist investors. 25. In March 2019, in response to a request from Executive 2, the GIC prepared a report for BAUGH summarizing the Parody Account s discussions of eBay over the last year. The report noted that FidoMaster1/Dan Davis was an anonymous [T]witter user that posts negative content about eBay and its senior leadership. Regarding Fidomaster1/Dan Davis relationship with the Newsletter, the report noted the owner of this account corresponds regularly with [the Newsletter] editor [Victim 1] about issues pertaining to eBay. [Victim 1] and [the Newsletter] are known for publishing negative content about eBay and its executives. 31. On or about July 18, 2019, Executive 1's spouse texted BAUGH privately about a comment underneath a Newsletter article that called Executive 1 a con artist and thief. The spouse wrote: "I'm not exactly thrilled with this post on my favorite [Newsletter]. The author gets people worked up with the way she skews her stories. Don t tell [Executive 1] I sent this I m just letting you know about it. Ok?" 34. On August 1, 2019, the New York Times published an article reporting that eBay had accused Amazon in a lawsuit of unlawfully poaching eBay sellers to Amazon s online marketplace. 35. That day, at approximately 1:46 p.m., Victim 1 posted an article on the Newsletter under the headline "eBay RICO Lawsuit Meant to Curb Seller Exodus to Amazon?" Victim 1's article reported on both Executive 1 and eBay's lawsuit: "[Executive 1] has been unable to stop a decline in market sales, but trying to dissuade sellers from turning to Amazon (and trying to get Amazon to stop recruiting sellers) may not be the best tactic." 36. Just half an hour later, at 2:19 p.m., Executive 1 texted Executive 2: "[Victim 1] is out with a hot piece on the litigation. If you are ever going to take her down..now is the time." 37. Executive 2 responded shortly afterward by text message: "On it."

tsomctl 6y ago

I buy a ton of things off eBay. This is seriously making me not want to do business with them again.

afandian 6y ago
Not having read / watched the press brefing my first reaction to this comment was, I admit, a bit eye-rolly. Then I watched it. If that is your reaction, seriously, go and watch it. It really is an extraordinary set of allegations. It's nine minutes long and it just gets weirder and weirder.
- rideontime 6y ago
  And he's still leaving details out! I can't wait to read the complaint itself.
thorwasdfasdf 6y ago
Yup, same here.
wolco 6y ago
The CEO gets fired and you want to punish the company who fired him. Who's side are you on?
- alt219 6y ago
  I take it as the CEO left for reasons stated at the time as other than this incident, when in fact eBay actually knew about the CEO’s involvement but hoped the real reason wouldn’t ever come out.
- vkou 6y ago
  The company created an environment which enabled this sort of behaviour. This wasn't some rogue employee operating under the radar - this was a conspiracy through multiple levels of management.
- DonHopkins 6y ago
  Yet you have no problem with the company hiring the rotten CEO and psychotic crooked ex-cops in the first place, enabling them to mail cockroaches and bloody pig masks to intimidate critics, then initially covering up the actual reason they fired him, until they got caught. Since you asked first, I have to ask you the same question: Whose side are YOU on? Are you a cockroach or bloody pig mask salesman, or maybe a psycho crooked ex-cop recruiter and job placement specialist? >18. On April 10, 2019, for example, Executive 2 texted Executive 1, "We are going to crush this lady", sending along a link to the Newsletter's coverage that day of Executive 1's compensation. Are you really on the side of the lady crushers, and have to ask why other people aren't?
- deleted 6y ago
  [deleted]

deleted 6y ago

[deleted]

ghaff 6y ago

That reads as if there was no actual smoking gun to directly link the [former] CEO but there were probably at least tangentially related questionable emails. But wow. Head of Corporate Comms among others.

contemporary343 6y ago

If I 'm reading this clearly, this investigation was a material factor in the CEO's departure from eBay! Crazy - he might yet be indicted since the FBI is still investigating..

hogFeast 6y ago

This does not surprise me. Some CEOs are incredibly thin-skinned, they hire a bunch of people who usually got kicked out of the police after they harassed/beat someone, and then self-destruct with their own personal army when they can't handle the heat (you will get criticised daily). Btw, something that was coincident with this (I believe) was the activist campaign against EBay...again, the number of executives who self-destruct when they see proof that they are bad at their job is significant (I wouldn't like to venture a guess at a proportion but I have seen this 10+ times). Just imo, the problem is always lack of oversight. Boards not really asking whether the executives are up to the job, fat expense accounts with lots of these ex-police nutjobs stalking people, it is just total madness. Companies become captured by these executives. (I used to know a guy who ran a relatively small fund but used to short sell frauds, mainly accounting as the guy used to be an accountant. He had to go to great lengths to hide what he was doing because the second a company found out, they would send people to wait outside his office/follow him/etc. and this is just a nobody guy running a small fund in a mid-tier financial city i.e. not London, or New York, or HK...I call these executives the Harvard Business School Al-Qaeda, truly dangerous people).

cma 6y ago
Tesla/Elon got away with what looks like swatting a former employee, and makes use of sketchy freelance sketchy private investigators.
- hogFeast 6y ago
  Elon is low integrity. I know he is popular here but he just seems like a pretty scummy guy. I know one of the biggest holders of Tesla, and they have said (publicly too, I believe) that he isn't an ethical guy but they still have a huge position (too big to probably sell now tbh)...a lot of wishful thinking with Musk.
- pengaru 6y ago
  And the fanboys are enthusiastically cheering his efforts to monopolize communications globally via Starlink. If we're going to be stuck with an overlord, he probably shouldn't be such a thin-skinned unscrupulous vindictive narcissist. Edit: Relevant article for the uninformed: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2019-03-13/when-elon-musk-tried-to-destroy-tesla-whistleblower-martin-tripp https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2019-03-13/when-elon...

abbracadabbra 6y ago

A choice quote from the wickedlocal coverage: > Those involved became so concerned that they developed a list of people in California they could frame if authorities tracked the harassment there, Lelling said

deleted 6y ago
[deleted]

bozoUser 6y ago

Since this is the top comment, you may also want to edit that Devin Wenig is the former CEO[0] [0] https://www.cnbc.com/2019/09/25/ebay-ceo-devin-wenig-is-stepping-down-as-the-company-continues-review-of-potential-sale-of-assets.html https://www.cnbc.com/2019/09/25/ebay-ceo-devin-wenig-is-step...

NotSammyHagar 6y ago
You know they hoped this would never come to light and they wouldn't have to admit that it happened.

rideontime 6y ago

Piggybacking on my own comment to add one last link, to the actual affidavit. Still working my way through all 51 pages, but it's pretty obvious who "Executive 1" is. https://www.scribd.com/document/465728291/FBI-Affidavit-against-eBay-employees-for-harassment https://www.scribd.com/document/465728291/FBI-Affidavit-agai...

extrapolate 6y ago

Looking at the affidavit [1], Executive 1 is definitely the ex-CEO. > "On April 10, 2019... Executive 2 texted Executive 1... sending along a link to the Newsletter’s coverage that day [2] of Executive 1's compensation". [1] https://www.scribd.com/document/465728291/FBI-Affidavit-against-eBay-employees-for-harassment https://www.scribd.com/document/465728291/FBI-Affidavit-agai... [2] https://www.ecommercebytes.com/C/blog/blog.pl?/pl/2019/4/1554870735.html https://www.ecommercebytes.com/C/blog/blog.pl?/pl/2019/4/155...

contemporary343 6y ago
Devin Wenig (the ex-CEO) is on GM's board of directors. And.. he's up for re-election tomorrow!
- SV_BubbleTime 6y ago
  Coincidental timing?
guiambros 6y ago
Indeed. From the Boston Globe article [1] "... the article stated that Executive 1 “has been unable to stop a decline in market sales, but trying to dissuade sellers from turning to Amazon (and trying to get Amazon to stop recruiting sellers) may not be the best tactic." From the couple's blog [2]: "eBay's CEO has been unable to stop a decline in marketplace sales, but trying to dissuade sellers from turning to Amazon (and trying to get Amazon to stop recruiting sellers) may not be the best tactic." If proven true, the CEO was not only aware, but also condoned such tactics, and ordered to "Take her down". This will make the situation even worse for ebay's board to justify why they didn't fire the guy on the spot. [1] https://www.bostonglobe.com/2020/06/15/metro/six-former-ebay-employees-charged-federal-cyberstalking-case-targeting-natick-couple/ https://www.bostonglobe.com/2020/06/15/metro/six-former-ebay... [2] https://www.ecommercebytes.com/C/blog/blog.pl?/pl/2019/8/1564681600.html https://www.ecommercebytes.com/C/blog/blog.pl?/pl/2019/8/156...
- deleted 6y ago
  [deleted]

pwdisswordfish2 6y ago

https://www.ecommercebytes.com/C/blog/blog.pl?/pl/2020/6/1592241873.html https://www.ecommercebytes.com/C/blog/blog.pl?/pl/2020/6/159... It says on June 30, the Ebay CFO and two Ebay board members are "retiring". Commenters in this thread are questioning why this blog was targeted and speculating without any facts. May I suggest reading the FBI's Criminal Complaint: https://web.archive.org/web/20200616015754if_/https://assets.documentcloud.org/documents/6945112/Ebay-Cyberstalking.pdf https://web.archive.org/web/20200616015754if_/https://assets... Additonally, here is a PDF of the FBI's Affidavit, instead of the scribd nonsense. https://regmedia.co.uk/2020/06/15/ebayaffadavit.pdf https://regmedia.co.uk/2020/06/15/ebayaffadavit.pdf For those who will not read the complaint, here's a few excerpts: 18. On April 10, 2019, for example, Executive 2 texted Executive 1, "We are going to crush this lady", sending along a link to the Newsletter's coverage that day of Executive 1's compensation. 19. On April 20, 2019, discussing the Wall Street Journal's coverage of Executive 1, Executive 1 texted to Executive 2, "Fuck them. The journal is next on the list after [Victim 1]." 20. On May 31, 2019, commenting on the Newsletter's coverage of eBay that day, Executive 2 texted to Executive 1, "Shockingly reasonable..." Executive 1 replied, "I couldn t care less what she says." Seconds later, Executive 1 added, "Take her down." 22. Like many news outlets, the Newsletter offered its readers the opportunity to comment underneath Victim 1 s stories. The anonymous comments were sometimes critical of eBay and its executive leadership team. At other times, the comments amounted to namecalling. For example, a May 2015 comment called eBay executives liars and thugs who should be jailed; a May 2017 comment called Executive 1 the devil; and an April 2018 comment stated that Executive 1 was delusional. 23. One commenter in particular, who went by the online nicknames FidoMaster, FidoMaster1, Dan Davis, or UnsuckeBay (collectively, the Parody Account expressed frequent and negative opinions regarding eBay.2 In addition to commenting below the Newsletter s articles, the anonymous author(s) of the Parody Account sometimes posted opinions critical of eBay in Twitter feeds, impersonated official eBay communications using a distorted version of the company's logo, or sent messages that one eBay seller considered to be harassing. 24. On May 21, 2019, for example, the Newsletter reported that eBay had built on its campus an expensive replica of Walker a popular Manhattan bar noting, "It's probably news to sellers (and shareholders?) that eBay has a pub-like lounge on campus especially one built with what appears to be no-expenses spared." FidoMaster1 tweeted a link to the article, noting @[Newsletter] posted about @eBay s beleagured [Executive 1 s] self-indulgent vanity project Walker's West campus bar. The tweet continued, "The bar, [Executive 1's] recreation of iconic @WalkersBarNYC is a throwback to internet and gaming company CEO s lavish overspending on legacy facilities and landmarks." FidoMaster1 also criticized Executive 1 for undertaking the project while eBay was experiencing cost reduction, layoffs, and scrutiny by activist investors. 25. In March 2019, in response to a request from Executive 2, the GIC prepared a report for BAUGH summarizing the Parody Account s discussions of eBay over the last year. The report noted that FidoMaster1/Dan Davis was an anonymous [T]witter user that posts negative content about eBay and its senior leadership. Regarding Fidomaster1/Dan Davis relationship with the Newsletter, the report noted the owner of this account corresponds regularly with [the Newsletter] editor [Victim 1] about issues pertaining to eBay. [Victim 1] and [the Newsletter] are known for publishing negative content about eBay and its executives. 31. On or about July 18, 2019, Executive 1's spouse texted BAUGH privately about a comment underneath a Newsletter article that called Executive 1 a con artist and thief. The spouse wrote: "I'm not exactly thrilled with this post on my favorite [Newsletter]. The author gets people worked up with the way she skews her stories. Don t tell [Executive 1] I sent this I m just letting you know about it. Ok?" 34. On August 1, 2019, the New York Times published an article reporting that eBay had accused Amazon in a lawsuit of unlawfully poaching eBay sellers to Amazon s online marketplace. 35. That day, at approximately 1:46 p.m., Victim 1 posted an article on the Newsletter under the headline "eBay RICO Lawsuit Meant to Curb Seller Exodus to Amazon?" Victim 1's article reported on both Executive 1 and eBay's lawsuit: "[Executive 1] has been unable to stop a decline in market sales, but trying to dissuade sellers from turning to Amazon (and trying to get Amazon to stop recruiting sellers) may not be the best tactic." 36. Just half an hour later, at 2:19 p.m., Executive 1 texted Executive 2: "[Victim 1] is out with a hot piece on the litigation. If you are ever going to take her down..now is the time." 37. Executive 2 responded shortly afterward by text message: "On it."