I'm not sure if I would call that number staggering. It was noted by one person who objected to the settlement that it amounted to only 10% of the estimated savings the companies reaped from the practice.
"savings" ... more like "ill-gotten gains from racketeering"
usually the government confiscates those and then sends the perps to jail over it.
Hard to do to a corporation.
usually the members of the syndicate go to jail, usually the syndicate is not tried as a whole.
Staggering? I'd call it a pittance. The companies should've been fined much more to make an example out of them so no tech firm attempts something like this again.
Pretty sure thats a sarcastic use of the word staggering
That's what it sounded like to me as well.
It's like getting caught stealing and you only have to payback the money you stole. Zero incentive to stop stealing.
Or like getting caught and having to pay back 1/10th of the money you stole.