Member of eBay security team sentenced in harassment scheme involving bloody Halloween pig mask

BOSTON (AP) — The former senior manager of special operations for eBay Inc.’s. global security team was sentenced Thursday in federal court in Boston for his role in a cyberstalking campaign that included sending a preserved fetal pig, a bloody pig Halloween mask and a book on surviving the loss of a spouse to a Massachusetts couple’s home.

Brian Gilbert, 56, of San Jose, Calif., was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge William Young to time served, one year of supervised release provided that he has no contact with either of the victims, and a $20,000 fine.

In October 2020, Gilbert pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit cyberstalking and conspiracy to tamper with witnesses.

Gilbert and others targeted David and Ina Steiner, investigators said. The couple produced an online newsletter called EcommerceBytes that upset eBay executives with its coverage.

Gilbert is one of seven now-former eBay employees and contractors on the company’s security team who were charged and ultimately convicted for their roles in the cyberstalking campaign.

“Today’s sentencing brings an end to our prosecution of eBay’s horrific conduct. The company’s culture resulted in seven eBay employees and contractors inflicting an unspeakable campaign of harassment and intimidation against the victims in this case, all to silence their reporting and protect the eBay brand,” acting U.S. Attorney Joshua Levy said in a statement.

In August 2019, the defendants executed a three-part harassment campaign against the Natick, Massachusetts, couple including ordering anonymous and disturbing deliveries to the victims’ home, investigators said. Their home address also was posted online with announcements inviting strangers to yard sales and parties.

Some of the defendants also sent private Twitter messages and public tweets criticizing the newsletter’s content and threatening to visit the victims in Natick, according to prosecutors.

The third phase of the campaign involved surveilling the victims in their home and community. The victims spotted the surveillance and notified the Natick Police, who began to investigate.

In January, eBay Inc. agreed to pay a $3 million fine to resolve criminal charges over the harassment campaign waged by employees who also sent live spiders, cockroaches and other disturbing items to the couple’s home, prosecutors said.