This week, as a result of legal action by Microsoft and the New York Attorney General against one of the world�s most prolific spammers, Microsoft is expanding its successful partnership with government and law-enforcement authorities against illegal practices on the Internet.

Self-proclaimed �Spam King� Scott Richter has agreed to pay over $7 million in damages, pending approval by the court.

After covering our legal expenses for the case, Microsoft will then reinvest every penny from this settlement. We�ll dedicate $5 million dollars to increase our Internet enforcement efforts and expand technical and investigative support to help law enforcement address computer-related crimes.

As this case demonstrates, a strong partnership between the public and private sectors is vital to taking effective action against spam and other Internet problems. By reinvesting these settlement proceeds, we�ll help to make that partnership even stronger.

In appreciation of the role of the New York Attorney General, another $1 million of this settlement money will be directed to New York state through Microsoft Unlimited Potential donations, which help community centers to expand computer-related skills training for youths and adults.