Mondelez Settles $750K Data Breach Case, Employees Get Relief
Company
Mondelēz
Why
Data breach
Total Settlement Amount
$750K
Maximum Individual Claimant Award
$7K
Claim Deadline
February 10, 2025
The Mondelēz data breach has resulted in a significant $750,000 settlement, marking a crucial development in corporate data security cases. Following the February 2023 incident, we discovered that approximately 51,100 current and former employees had their sensitive information exposed, including Social Security numbers, addresses, and retirement plan details. As a result of this breach, affected employees can now claim up to $7,000 for out-of-pocket expenses. We've also confirmed that the settlement includes three years of free credit monitoring and identity theft protection services for all affected individuals, providing essential security coverage.
Mondelez International Data Breach Overview
Between February 23 and March 1, 2023, unauthorized access to Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner's computer systems exposed sensitive data of Mondelēz International employees. The law firm detected suspicious activity in their storage area containing customer files.
Subsequently, Bryan Cave launched an investigation with a cybersecurity forensics firm and notified Mondelēz of the incident in late March. The breach specifically compromised personal information of more than 51,100 current and former Mondelēz employees.
The exposed sensitive data included:
Social Security numbers
Names and addresses
Dates of birth
Employee identification numbers
Retirement plan information
Marital status and gender details
Furthermore, Bryan Cave confirmed that financial information, including credit card numbers, remained secure. During the investigation, Mondelēz emphasized that their internal systems and networks were not affected by this incident.
The company conducted a thorough review to identify all affected individuals and sent notification letters by June 15th. Moreover, while Mondelēz stated no evidence of data misuse had been found, affected employees took precautionary measures such as signing up for credit monitoring and securing their financial accounts.
This incident marks the second major cybersecurity challenge for Mondelēz, which previously faced the Petya cyberattack in 2017 that affected 1,700 servers and 24,000 laptops.
Settlement Details and Compensation
Under the settlement agreement, Mondelēz International and Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner will pay $750,000 to resolve claims from the data breach. Affected individuals can claim reimbursement through multiple compensation categories.
The settlement offers comprehensive coverage for various expenses:
Up to $7,000 for documented out-of-pocket losses
Maximum of five hours of lost time at $25 per hour, totaling $125
Three years of credit monitoring and identity theft protection through Kroll
Notably, class members who experienced no direct losses can receive an alternative cash payment. The exact amount will vary based on the total number of claims filed and remaining funds after other distributions.
For claim consideration, individuals must submit valid documentation by February 10, 2025. The settlement requires proof of expenses through receipts or bank statements. Additionally, class members need their special Class Member ID from the notification letter to complete the claim process.