Sony Pictures Entertainment has reached a settlement with current and former employees, agreeing to pay up to $8 million to reimburse them for identity-theft losses, preventative measures and legal fees related to the hack of its computers last year.
The settlement was filed with the U.S. District Court in Los Angeles late Monday and still needs to be approved by a judge.
The agreement calls for up to $10,000 a person, capped at $2.5 million, to reimburse workers for identity theft losses, up to $1,000 each to cover the cost of credit-fraud protection services, capped at $2 million, and up to $3.5 million in legal fees.
Hackers calling themselves Guardians of Peace broke into Sony Pictures computers and last November released thousands of emails, documents, social security numbers and other personal information in an attempt to derail the release of the North Korean-focused comedy "The Interview." The U.S. government blamed North Korea for the attack.
In a memo to staff Tuesday, Sony Entertainment CEO Michael Lynton called the agreement "an important, positive step forward in putting the cyber-attack firmly behind us."
Sony Corp. CEO Kazuo Hirai told a technology conference on Tuesday that following the hack, the movie studio has "come out more resilient, more strong and they have a very good management team in place now." Hirai said there wasn't much of a business impact from the hack, although he said employee morale was hurt for a short time.
Former Sony Pictures co-chair Amy Pascal left her position after a trove of embarrassing emails was leaked, including racially insensitive remarks about President Barack Obama's purported taste in movies. She continues to run a production venture at Sony that will handle major blockbuster franchises such as the "Spider-Man" series.
Oscar and Emmy-Winning Composer Kris Bowers Joins Barking Owl For Advertising, Branded Content
Music, audio post and sonic branding house Barking Owl has taken on exclusive representation of Oscar and Emmy-winning composer Kris Bowers for advertising and branded content.
Bowers’ recent film scores include The Wild Robot and Bob Marley: One Love, alongside acclaimed past works such as The Color Purple (2023), King Richard and Green Book. His contributions to television are equally impressive, with scores for hit series like Bridgerton, When They See Us, Dear White People, and his Daytime Emmy Award-winning score for The Snowy Day.
In addition to his work as a composer, Bowers is a visionary director. He recently took home the Academy Award for Best Documentary Short Subject for his directorial work on The Last Repair Shop. The emotionally touching short film spotlights four of the people responsible for repairing the musical instruments used by students in the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD). The Last Repair Shop reflects the positive influence that musical instruments have on the youngsters who play them, and the adults in the LAUSD free repair service who keep them working and in tune.
Barking Owl CEO Kirkland Alexander Lynch said of Bowers, “His artistry, diversity of style and depth of storytelling bring an unparalleled edge to the work we create for global brands. His presence on our roster reflects our continued commitment to pushing the boundaries of sound and music in advertising.”
Johanna Cranitch, creative director, Barking Owl, added, “Kris first caught my attention when he released his record ‘Heroes + Misfits’ where he fused together his jazz sensibility with a deeply ingrained aptitude for melody, so beautifully.... Read More