Ex-eBay Exec Sentenced In Stalking Seeks Early Release
UPDATE 1-11-24
eBay has been found criminally liable in connection to the 2019 cyberstalking of journalists Ina and David Steiner of Ecommercebytes, and agreed to pay a penalty of $3 million as part of a deal to defer further prosecution.
Liz Morton
UPDATE 10-22-22
Federal Bureau of Prisons records indicated Philip Cooke Register Number 23880-509 was released on 10-21-22 after serving ~13 months of his 18 month sentence.
UPDATE 10-13-22
Stephanie Popp, eBay’s former Senior Manager of Global Intelligence, was sentenced to one year and one day in prison and two years of probation.
Stephanie Stockwell, former manager of eBay’s Global Intelligence Center, was sentenced to two years of probation, with one year to be served in home confinement.
Liz Morton ~ Founder
Senior Manager Special Operations Brian Gilbert and security analyst Veronica Zea are expected to be sentenced next month.
UPDATE 9-29-22
Jim Baugh has been sentenced to 57 months in prison, $40K fine and ordered to report to prison in early December.
David Harville has been sentenced to 24-months in prison, with the judge taking into account his prior military service and first-time offender status.
Liz Morton ~ Founder
UPDATE: June 10
Cooke's request for early release was denied, with the Judge stating "Cooke’s crimes were inexcusable and warrant the sentence imposed."
Liz Morton ~ Founder
The criminal case against 7 eBay employees charged in a bizarre cyberstalking and harassment campaign aimed at doxing and silencing critics of the company has come to an end with all defendants pleading guilty.
Ex-Security Manager Philip Cooke is the only defendant sentenced so far, with 18 months in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release with conditions, and a fine in the amount of $15,000 ordered by the court in July 2021 with sentence starting September 7, 2021
However, Cooke filed a motion for early compassionate release today, May 20, 2022, asking the court to reduce his sentence to time served and allow him to serve the remainder of his sentence in home confinement citing serious medical conditions and substandard/harsh conditions at Sheridan Federal Correctional Institution.
The 6 other defendants Jim Baugh, David Harville, Brian Gilbert, Stephanie Popp, Veronica Zea and Stephanie Stockwell are all still awaiting sentencing with Harville and Baugh set for September 2022 and the others to follow.
Liz Morton ~ Founder
Liz Morton ~ Founder
The civil case against the 7 named defendants, ex-CEO Devin Wenig, ex-Communications Chief Steve Wymer, Progressive F.O.R.C.E.Concepts, LLC and eBay Inc. is moving forward after the parties failed to reach a settlement during a 90 day stay in proceedings.
The plaintiffs, Ina and David Steiner who operate the Ecommercebytes blog, filed the case July 21, 2021 after being targeted by a systematic campaign of stalking and intimidation aimed at changing the tone of their coverage on eBay and the ultimate goal to offer assistance with the harassment as part of a White Knight strategy to earn goodwill so they might help eBay learn the identity of unsuckEBAY/Fidomaster, an anonymous online persona who posted critical comments about eBay on their blog and Twitter.
According to the most recent filing, Plaintiffs and eBay engaged in mediation on April 14, 2022 but did not reach an agreement on resolution of the matter either in whole or in part.
The Steiner's attorney requested an extension to file opposition to the motions to dismiss which was granted and that filing is now due on May 23, 2022. Defendants will then have until June 6, 2022 to file responses to the opposition.
Defendant Jim Baugh also filed a cross-claim against eBay in this matter and eBay's response to that cross-claim is due on or before May 26, 2022.
