Channel 4 Acquires ‘eBay Scandal’ Documentary Highlighting Corporate Espionage Story
EXCLUSIVE: Channel 4 has acquired the documentary detailing the alarming eBay scandal, which was initially set to proceed to civil trial today.
The documentary, titled Whatever It Takes: Inside the eBay Scandal, comes from Fremantle and focuses on issues of stalking and corporate espionage.
The feature chronicles the experiences of David and Ina Steiner, a married couple who run an e-commerce blog aimed at assisting small eBay sellers. Their lives took a dark turn when they became victims of a relentless campaign of intimidation and cyberstalking, which included unsettling deliveries such as a bloody pig mask, live cockroaches, and funeral wreaths. The FBI ultimately traced the harassment back to an unexpected source: eBay itself.
The documentary’s release coincides with the civil trial, Steiner v eBay et al., which was scheduled to begin today. However, the parties reached a settlement just days before the trial commenced.
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Fremantle has also secured sales of the documentary to ZDF in Germany, ORF in Austria, Al Jazeera for the MENA region, and NRK in Norway, among others. The film has already debuted successfully in Australia (ABC), Canada (Paramount Streaming, Bell Media), Belgium (VRT), Greece (Vodafone), Israel (Slutzky, Yes TV), Turkey (Turkcell), and Hong Kong & Macao (Now True).
Jamie Lynn, EVP Co-Production & Distribution EMEA at Fremantle, commented, “Whatever It Takes: Inside the eBay Scandal is a remarkable story that shines a light on the real power dynamics inside major corporations and how they can infiltrate our digital lives. Jenny Carchman and her team have crafted a gripping investigation that uncovers a shocking corporate scandal while never losing sight of the human cost behind the headlines.”
Directed by acclaimed filmmaker Jenny Carchman (Gossip, The Fourth Estate, Enlighten Us), the documentary is produced by Allyson Luchak (15 Minutes of Shame, Trial 4, The Staircase) for Big Pond Films, alongside producer Ben Travers. Executive producers include Mandy Chang (The Mole, Welcome to Chechnya, Writing with Fire) for Fremantle’s Undeniable label, along with Jonathan Silberberg, Nicole Stott, and Lizzie Fox and Casey Meurer from Concordia Studio. Fremantle oversees global sales.
