Richter Pays Microsoft $7 Million to Settle Spam Charges
Microsoft Corp. said yesterday that it settled a lawsuit against e-mail marketer Scott Richter and his company, OptInRealBig.com LLC, agreeing to pay $7 million to Microsoft.Also yesterday, Richter filed a motion to dismiss bankruptcy proceedings that his company filed in March in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Denver, according to a joint statement by Microsoft and Richter. A condition of the settlement is dismissal of the bankruptcy cases.
Microsoft and New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer sued Richter in 2003 and said he sent and helped other spammers send billions of spam e-mails to consumers.
In the joint statement, Richter denied Microsoft's allegations but said his company has changed its e-mail practices and pledged not to send spam to anyone who has not asked to be sent commercial e-mail.
Spitzer settled his case last summer for $50,000, after vowing to drive Richter into bankruptcy.
