- Western Digital was ordered to pay $ 316 million in October 2024 for a patent counterfeit
- 237 million additional dollars have now been added in interest
- WD has set to divide its SSD and HDD companies
Western Digital (WD) only received seven days to cough $ 553 million in a case of patent infringement.
The heavy penalty intervenes while a Californian jury found WD guilty in October 2024 to have counterfeit data encryption patents belonging to SPEX Technologies – At the time, the fine was a smaller 316 million dollars to cover Damage.
Another interest of $ 237 million was added by district judge James Selna last month, bringing the total to $ 553 million.
WD has to pay $ 550 million within seven days
The San Jose data storage company had requested a delay in payment pending new court decisions, but judge Selna expressed concerns, WD could use a restructuring decision to modify the amount of paying, asking as well as The company is settling in just a week.
“The court has concerns about the potential restructuring of businesses, in particular since the judgment is against Western Digital Technologies, Inc.,” said Selna.
This could be revealing of the split awaiting Western Digital, according to which its Nand Flash storage activity would take place under the Sandisk brand and its hard drive operations would remain under the WD brand. The company expects the completion of the Demerger which occurs in a week, on February 21.
SPEX said he was not sure to know “what new company will be responsible for satisfying judgment or if it will be divided between new companies, or if the new company (or companies) would be sufficiently capitalized to cover the judgement”.
SPEX, based in California, also noted that WD had another storage counterfeit trial concerning MR technology.
At the time, Western digital lawyer Douglas Lumish from Latham & Watkins said (via PK Press Club): “MRT lawyers have granted a false credit, to a fairly magnificent measure, to Dr. Suess for the work of thousands of [Western Digital] engineers during the decades and on the planet. »»
Techradar Pro asked Western Digital a comment on the patent SPEX counterfeit trial, but we did not receive an immediate response.
Via The register
