Wisconsin sees $275,000 through settlement with 23andMe

Wisconsin will see more than $275,000 through a multistate settlement with the bankruptcy trustee for 23andMe that resolves allegations tied to a 2023 data breach that compromised the genetic data of 78,407 Wisconsinites.

“Companies that are responsible for sensitive genetic information need to keep it safe,” Attorney General Josh Kaul said in a Tuesday statement.

The direct-to-consumer genetic testing company announced in October 2023 it had discovered the breach, which affected 6.9 million consumers worldwide and exposed a range of data, including genetic ancestry information in some cases. Some of the data was published for sale on the dark web.

In March 2025, 23andMe filed for bankruptcy protection, and states subsequently filed claims related to an investigation they launched in the breach’s aftermath that found the company “allegedly engaged in unreasonable data security practices,” the Wisconsin Department of Justice said in a statement.

23andMe did not return a request for comment by time of publication.

TTAM Research Institute, a nonprofit formed by 23andMe founder and former CEO Anne Wojcicki, has bought the company’s assets, including its consumer data, and agreed to data security requirements.

While the settlement includes $150 million in allowed claims for the 41 participating states and the District of Columbia, recovery is limited to $18 million due to a finite amount of funds in the bankruptcy estate and other claims. 23andMe separately agreed to a $46.8 million class-action settlement for U.S. consumers.