US court sanctions Google for deleting evidence in antitrust cases

FILE PHOTO: The logo of Google LLC is seen at a Google Store in New York City, U.S., January 20, 2023. REUTERS/Shannon Stapleton

(Reuters) - Alphabet Inc's Google LLC intentionally destroyed employee "chat" evidence in antitrust litigation in California and must pay sanctions and face a possible penalty at trial, a U.S. judge ruled on Tuesday.

U.S. District Judge James Donato in San Francisco said in his order that Google "fell strikingly short" in its duties to preserve records. The ruling is part of a multidistrict litigation that includes a consumer class action with as many as 21 million residents; 38 states and the District of Columbia; and companies including Epic Games Inc and Match Group LLC.