Operator is sentenced to US$ 1.1 billion for death of internet customer – APK Games

The murder of an 83-year-old woman in Dallas County, USA, prompted a judge to order a telecommunications company to pay about $1.1 billion in damages. The killer was working for Charter Communications when he visited the victim to install network cables. He committed the crime in the old woman’s own home.

The crime took place in 2019. It was committed by Roy Holden, who admitted guilt in the murder of Betty Thomas. The defendant received a life sentence in April 2021.

However, the jury ordered that the telecommunications company Charter Communications also be considered part of the lawsuit. According to the people in court, the company was negligent in hiring Mr. Holden without checking his background, in addition to ignoring a number of controversial situations. They include thefts of credit cards and checks from elderly customers.

As such, the firm’s first conviction was to pay about $7 billion in punitive charges and $337.5 million in damages. The victim’s family and the state of Texas should split the amount.

However, Judge Juan Renteria decided to lower the amounts. Now, the operator must pay US$ 1.1 billion. It is worth noting that Charter Communications had revenues of US$ 13.1 billion in the third half of 2021. It still plans to appeal the sentence.

Value is greater than Vivo’s annual profit

Even with the reduced sentence by the judge, the amount that the telecommunications company must pay is still extremely exorbitant. For comparison, one of the main internet companies in Brazil, Vivo, achieved a profit of R$ 6.2 billion in 2021.

In other words, we can define that the punishment directed at the American firm would be enough to take a full year’s profit from the most profitable operator in Brazil. That’s because US$ 1.1 billion would be something around R$ 5.7 billion in a direct conversion.

With information: Ars Technica.