Sentence handed down in bizarre eBay cyberstalking conspiracy

(KRON) — A San Jose man who was part of a group of eBay employees who cyberstalked victims was sentenced Thursday, federal prosecutors announced.

Brian Gilbert, 56, of San Jose, was senior manager for eBay's global security team when he and other eBay employees carried out a bizarre cyberstalking campaign targeting a married couple.

Gilbert and his co-conspirators “harassed and intimidated the victims in retaliation for their publication of an industry newsletter that eBay executives viewed as critical of the company,” the U.S. Attorney’s Office wrote.

eBay’s headquarters is located in San Jose. Gilbert is a former Santa Clara police captain, prosecutors said.

U.S. District Court Judge William Young sentenced Gilbert to pay the victims a $20,000 fine. He pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit cyberstalking and conspiracy to tamper with witnesses.

Gilbert is one of seven now-former eBay employees who were convicted in the case. Ex-eBay employees who were previously sentenced included:

• Jim Baugh , eBay's former director of safety and security, was sentenced to 57 months in prison.
• David Harville , eBay’s former director of global resiliency, was sentenced to 24 months in prison.
• Stephanie Popp, a former manager of global intelligence, was sentenced to 12 months in prison.
• Philip Cooke, a former manager of security operations, was sentenced to 18 months in prison.
• Stephanie Stockwell, a former manager of global intelligence, was sentenced to one year in home confinement.
• Veronica Zea, a former contract intelligence analyst, was sentenced to one year in home confinement.

U.S. Attorney Joshua Levy said, “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. We left no stone unturned to hold accountable every individual. We also charged eBay criminally and required it to pay $3 million.”

Levy added, “This series of prosecutions should ensure that every eBay employee understands that the idea of terrorizing innocent people and obstructing investigations will never again be tolerated.”

The victims published a newsletter that reported on issues of interest to eBay sellers. Senior eBay executives were frustrated with the newsletter's tone and content, federal investigators said .

In the summer of 2019, the group carried out a harassment campaign against a married couple who live in Massachusetts. They ordered anonymous and disturbing deliveries to the victims' home, including a preserved fetal pig, bloody pig Halloween mask, funeral wreath and live insects.

The harassment also featured Craigslist posts inviting members of the public to experience sexual encounters at the victims’ home.

Investigators said Baugh, 49, of San Jose, was the group’s “ringleader.” FBI agent Joseph Bonavolonta said Baugh “weaponized” eBay's security department to torment the victims.

U.S. Attorney Rachael Rollins said Baugh’s “toxic brand of online and real-world harassment, threats, and stalking was outrageous, cruel and defies any explanation — all the more because these men were seasoned and highly paid security executives backed by the resources of a Fortune 500 corporation.”

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