US bankruptcy judge approves $46.75 million settlement for 2023 23andMe data breach victims
6.9 million people hit by the 2023 23andMe genetic data breach now have a court-approved payout: a US bankruptcy judge signed off on a $46.75 million settlement on Tuesday. $14.29 million was already disbursed, leaving $32.46 million in new payments, per Reuters.
Nearly three years after the 23andMe hack, the 6.9 million customers whose genetic and personal data was exposed have a court-approved settlement. US Bankruptcy Judge Brian Walsh in St. Louis on Tuesday approved a $46.75 million deal between the company's bankruptcy trust and data breach claimants, calling it fair, equitable and in the best interest of the trust. The total will be reduced by $14.29 million that was already disbursed in connection with the breach, which puts the additional payout at $32.46 million. The breach dates back to 2023, when attackers accessed genetic and other personal information of an estimated 6.9 million customers. The fallout pushed the Palo Alto company into Chapter 11 in March 2025, alongside litigation costs, rising competition and falling demand for consumer genetic testing. In July 2025, TTAM Research Institute, a nonprofit controlled by 23andMe co-founder Anne Wojcicki, bought the company's assets out of bankruptcy for $305 million. The settlement does not end the legal exposure. California Attorney General Rob Bonta is separately suing over the breach in San Francisco Superior Court, accusing the company of ignoring warnings that its systems were compromised and downplaying the breach's severity. He is seeking civil fines against Chrome Holding Co, the legal name of 23andMe. The bankruptcy administrator has asked the court to block California's lawsuit; Judge Walsh has not yet ruled on that motion. Source: Reuters