WTF did this poor couple write that got eBay so heated?
You have to scroll wayyyy down in the article to find it.
Investigators learned in April of 2019, eBay’s then CEO Devin Wenig shared a link to this post Ina had written about his annual pay. EBay’s Chief Communications Officer, Steve Wymer, wrote back “we are going to crush this lady” about a month later, Wenig, the CEO of eBay texted: “take her down.” Prosecutors say Steve Wymer later texted eBay security director Jim Baugh “I want to see ashes. as long as it takes. whatever it takes.”
Wrote an article about an executive’s pay.
Investigators learned in April of 2019, eBay’s then CEO Devin Wenig shared a link to this post Ina had written about his annual pay. EBay’s Chief Communications Officer, Steve Wymer, wrote back “we are going to crush this lady” about a month later, Wenig, the CEO of eBay texted: “take her down.” Prosecutors say Steve Wymer later texted eBay security director Jim Baugh “I want to see ashes. as long as it takes. whatever it takes.”
Just a few days later, investigators say Baugh set up a meeting with his security staff at eBay’s California headquarters, posted a map of Natick on the wall, and then dispatched a team to Boston.
Wow, this is infuriating (emphasis mine):
And Lelling says there was not enough evidence to file criminal charges against eBay’s top executives, Devin Wenig or Steve Wymer.
Sharyn Alfonsi: But when he says or texts, “I wanna see ashes, whatever it takes,”
Andrew Lelling: People say things like that all the time. Especially senior people in companies. It’s not the same as, ‘I am knowingly joining a criminal conspiracy to cyberstalk a couple in Natick.’ People use loose talk like that all the time.
Must be nice having a different set of rules.
When I worked at Google we were all frequently and explicitly warned against ever talking like that to avoid even the appearance of impropriety. Top executives, if they know anything at all about their jobs, know better and need to be held accountable with prison time.
