E-mail marketer Scott Richter fought lawman Eliot Spitzer, but he"s knuckling under to the world"s richest man, Bill Gates. Richter"s company, Westminster-based OptInRealBig.com, has filed for bankruptcy protection in Denver. The company cited a costly legal battle with Gates" Microsoft Corp., which claims OptInRealBig.com illegally spams computer users.
"It"s the legal fees that are battering the company," said OptInRealBig.com lawyer Steven Richter, father of Scott Richter. He said the company faces lawsuits from Microsoft and other parties in Colorado, California and Utah. "OptIn is profitable but for these lawsuits." The 5-year-old company, which employed 25 people last year and had 350 clients, will continue to operate under Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, he said.