Victims of Sony Pictures hack stand to gain little from class-action lawsuit

Proposed settlement means current and former Sony employees whose information was exposed in massive data leak will be paid from just a $2m fund

The Sony Pictures hack left thousands of employees vulnerable and scared, but when the dust settles on their class action lawsuit, the cash doled may not amount to much. Especially after the lawyers are paid.

In a settlement proposed by the plaintiffs, Sony will pay between $5.5m and $8m to end the suit, according to the Hollywood Reporter. The "maximum base payment" against potential identity theft will be $1,050 cash for each class member (all current and former Sony employees whose information was exposed in the hack) out of a $2m cash fund. Anyone who has actually had their identity stolen as a result of the hack will be eligible for a $10,000 maximum.