SAN FRANCISCO — A federal judge has dismissed Cameron
and Tyler Winklevoss’ latest attempt to pursue claims that Facebook
Inc. founder Mark Zuckerberg stole the idea for the world’s most popular
social networking site.
U.S. District Judge Douglas Woodlock in Boston
dismissed the case on Friday. The Winklevosses abandoned an appeal to
the U.S. Supreme Court last month. Instead the Winklevoss twins and
their business partner Divya Narendra asked Woodlock for permission to
investigate whether Facebook had suppressed instant messages and other
evidence during settlement talks.
The Winklevosses’ attorney Tyler Meade said Friday
that he expected the ruling and would be submitting a post-judgment
motion relying on a federal rule that allows judges to reopen a case if
vital information was not produced. So this may not yet end the
seven-year legal feud that was featured in the hit movie “The Social
Network.”
The Winklevosses could not be reached for comment. Facebook spokesman Andrew Noyes declined to comment.
In June, the Winklevosses abandoned an appeal to the
U.S. Supreme Court. They had wanted the nation’s highest court to review
the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruling that upheld the $65
million cash-and-stock settlement they reached in 2008 with Facebook.
Instead they said they would focus on claims in
federal court in Boston that Facebook and its lawyers hid instant
messages from them during litigation.
The Winklevosses have been trying for years to undo
the settlement, alleging that Facebook duped them about the value of the
shares they received. They persisted in their efforts even as the value
of the settlement soared to more than $200 million along with the
valuation of Facebook, one of Silicon Valley’s hottest companies.
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