Washington is about to receive more than half a million dollars in a settlement with 23andMe after thousands of people in the state had their genetic data compromised, but don’t expect to see any of the settlement money.
23andMe offers DNA genetic testing, using those results to provide clients with insights into their ancestry and health.
The settlement resolves claims of a 2023 data breach that compromised the genetic data of 221,401 people in Washington state alone and more than 6.9 million consumers altogether.
Under the settlement, the states will receive $18 million from the bankruptcy funds, with Washington state receiving $547,000. According to the WA State Attorney General’s Office, the half a million will be used to enforce Washington’s consumer protection laws.
23andMe also agreed to a $46.8 million class-action settlement in the bankruptcy to provide relief to affected U.S. consumers who submitted claims by February 2026. That claims process is now closed.
Initially, the company denied the data breach, then blamed customers for how their accounts were set up, but a multi-state investigation found several safeguard failures in the company — so dozens of states sued.
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