EBay will pay $59 million settlement over pill presses sold online as US undergoes overdose epidemic

By LINDSAY WHITEHURST
Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — The e-commerce giant eBay will pay a $59 million in a settlement with the Justice Department over thousands of pill press machines sold on the the platform. Federal authorities say the machines can be used to manufacture counterfeit pills that look just like prescription pills but instead are laced with substances like fentanyl, a synthetic opioid drug largely fueling the deadliest overdose crisis in U.S. history. The company did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The Justice Department says eBay failed to meet requirements to verify buyers’ identities, keep records, and report to the Drug Enforcement Administration. EBay maintained in a settlement agreement that it is not subject to those reporting requirements.