A former senior manager of special operations for eBay’s global security team was convicted in federal court in Boston on Thursday for engaging in cyberstalking that included sending a stored pig fetus in the couple’s Massachusetts home, a bloody pig Halloween mask and a book on how to get over the death of a spouse.
Brian Gilbert, 56, of San Jose, California, was sentenced by Senior U.S. District Judge William Young to time served, one year of probation with the condition that he have no contact with the two victims, and a $20,000 fine.
In October 2020, Gilbert pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit cyberstalking and conspiracy to commit witness tampering.
Investigators said Gilbert and his associates targeted David and Aina Steiner.
The couple created an online newsletter called “EcommerceBytes” whose content angered eBay executives.
Gilbert was one of seven now-former eBay employees and contractors on the company’s security team who were indicted and ultimately convicted for engaging in cyberstalking.
“Today’s sentence ends the prosecution of eBay’s horrific conduct, whose culture led seven eBay employees and contractors to subject the victims in this case to unspeakable harassment and intimidation in an attempt to silence reporting and protect the eBay brand,” Acting US Attorney Joshua Levy said in a statement.
According to investigators, in August 2019, the defendants conducted a three-part harassment campaign against a Natick, Massachusetts, couple, which included ordering anonymous unsolicited deliveries to the victims’ home.
Their home addresses were also posted online along with announcements inviting strangers to garage sales and parties.
According to prosecutors, some of the defendants sent private Twitter messages and public tweets criticizing the newsletter’s content and threatening to visit the victim in Natick.
The third phase of the campaign involved surveillance of victims’ homes and communities.
The victims noticed the surveillance camera footage and contacted Natick police, who began an investigation.
In January, eBay agreed to pay a $3 million fine to settle criminal charges that its employees committed harassment, including sending live spiders, cockroaches and other nasty items to the couple’s home, prosecutors said.
