- Judge Accuses Former Meta COO of Deleting Emails in Violation of Court Order
- Shareholder Lawsuit Highlights Alleged Missteps in Data Privacy Scandal
Sheryl Sandberg, Meta’s former COO, finds herself embroiled in deepening legal and reputational challenges. A Delaware judge has sanctioned Sandberg for allegedly deleting emails tied to the Cambridge Analytica scandal, intensifying scrutiny over her role in Meta’s controversial history.
The allegations, part of a shareholder lawsuit, claim that Sandberg and former Meta board member Jeff Zients used personal email accounts to discuss sensitive legal matters. These communications allegedly relate to a 2018 lawsuit accusing Facebook executives of violating privacy laws and fiduciary duties.
The judge’s ruling, citing credible evidence, suggests Sandberg not only used a pseudonymous Gmail account but also selectively deleted emails, defying a court order to preserve them.
The consequences of the sanction are significant. Sandberg must now meet a higher legal standard—proving her defense with “clear and convincing” evidence rather than the typical “preponderance” of evidence. The court has also ordered her to cover certain expenses incurred by the plaintiffs.
A spokesperson for Sandberg dismissed the accusations as baseless, insisting that “all work emails were preserved on Facebook’s servers.” However, the judge criticized her responses to interrogatories as inconsistent, reinforcing doubts about her compliance.
The lawsuit also ties back to larger allegations against Meta. Shareholders claim the company violated a 2012 FTC order by collecting and sharing user data without consent. This scandal culminated in Facebook’s $5 billion settlement with the FTC in 2019 and further penalties from European regulators.
As the case unfolds, Sandberg’s legacy as a leading architect of Meta’s policies continues to face mounting scrutiny.
