North Dakota Attorney General Drew Wrigley joined 41 other state attorneys general in an $18 million settlement with the 23andMe bankruptcy trustee, as Valley News Live described in its July settlement report. 23andMe sells direct-to-consumer DNA kits, and the deal resolves state claims from its 2023 genetic-data breach.
The state deal does not pay individuals directly. The Delaware Department of Justice says separate bankruptcy class-action relief of $46.75 million addresses consumer claims. North Dakota residents should track that consumer track, not the state payout, for compensation.
Official resources:
- Register through Attorneygeneral’s official page — Use this page to review requirements and register directly.
- Explore the official data from Delaware — Use this primary source to review the underlying data.
Table of Contents
- How did 14,000 logins expose millions?
- Where does the $18 million go?
- Who holds the genetic data now?
- What should North Dakota consumers do?
How did 14,000 logins expose millions?
TechCrunch reported attackers first breached only about 14,000 accounts with credential stuffing using reused passwords. They then scraped profiles linked through DNA Relatives to reach far more people.
The Delaware Department of Justice said the incident compromised genetic and ancestry data of 6.9 million customers worldwide, according to its breach-scope announcement. Direct account holders lost data. Relatives connected through DNA Relatives also lost data without having their logins breached.
Where does the $18 million go?
States received $150 million in allowed bankruptcy claims, but immediate cash recovery is capped at $18 million, the Vermont Attorney General explained in its estate-funds summary. The bankruptcy estate has finite funds and competing claims. The cap reflects what the estate can pay now.
The Delaware Department of Justice says the $18 million goes to states for enforcement costs, not to individuals. The separate $46.75 million consumer fund is the path for individual relief. That split matters for readers looking for a claim form.
Who holds the genetic data now?
The Pennsylvania Attorney General reported that 23andMe's consumer data assets were sold during bankruptcy to TTAM Research Institute. The buyer is a nonprofit formed by founder Anne Wojcicki and now re-registered as 23andMe Research Institute.
The Arizona Attorney General reported the buyer must maintain enhanced data security as custodian of the genetic data. Duties include risk analysis, an advisory board, and compliance with comprehensive privacy laws. Those terms follow the data to the new owner.
What should North Dakota consumers do?
Consumers keep the right to delete genetic samples and personal data from the successor company, the New Hampshire Department of Justice explained in its consumer-rights alert. The state settlement still requires court approval.
No state money moves until the court signs off. North Dakota users with 23andMe accounts can take three practical steps now:.
- Request deletion of your genetic samples and personal data from the successor company if you do not want retention.
- Keep account records, test orders, and any breach notices for the separate consumer process.
- Watch for court approval and written consumer-claim instructions before expecting payment.
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