Also that year, columnist Mark Gibbs wrote about Spitzer's attempt to bring down another big time spammer. He wrote: "It was disappointing but predictable that New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer's case against spammer Scott Richter and his company OptInRealBig.com would end not with a bang but a whimper. The original goal of the suit was to fine Richter and company US$20 million in damages, but in the end the case was settled for US$40,000 in penalties and an additional US$10,000 for investigative costs. OptInRealBig.com also must provide the Attorney General's office with customer information and all advertisements it sends as well as promise to use proper identifying information when registering domain names.... Spitzer put a brave face on it: 'This settlement holds Richter and his company to a new standard of accountability in their delivery of e-mails . .'" Spitzer's office had teamed with Microsoft on that case.

IDG News Service contributed to this report