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.