Former spammer to pay Microsoft $7 million
Scott Richter--a former "spam king," according to the software giant--is settling a lawsuit filed against him in 2003.
The software giant said that as part of the settlement Richter and his company agreed to pay $7 million to Microsoft.
Richter and his company will file a motion on Tuesday to dismiss bankruptcy proceedings they filed in March in the 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.
A separate statement from Brad Smith, Microsoft senior vice president and general counsel, said the company will reinvest all of the money, including $5 million, which will go to increase Internet enforcement efforts and expand technical and investigative support to help law enforcers to address computer-related crimes.
The joint statement from Microsoft and Richter said Richter had changed his e-mailing practices in part because Microsoft and the office of New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer sued him in 2003.
In its lawsuit, Microsoft argued that Richter and his companies violated state and federal law by sending e-mail and helping other people send e-mail.
In the statement, Richter and his company, OptInRealBig.com, denied all allegations.