Patent troll settles with state of Minnesota

Very interesting development in the scan to email patent troll matter. One of my clients in Connecticut dealt with the very same issue. In Minnesota, as reported here, the state’s attorney general settled with MPHJ Technology Investments LLC, a Delaware company accused of trying to wring money out of hundreds of Minnesota businesses on claims the firms were infringing on patent rights by using basic office equipment, namely office scanners. MPHJ Technology and a host of affiliates including BriPol agreed to stop their campaign and to not restart without approval from Minnesota’s attorney general. If the state discovers that any Minnesota residents or companies actually paid MPHJ Technology money for either a license or an alleged infringement, MPHJ will have to pay a $50,000 civil penalty and refund all money.
Turns out the owner of MPHJ is a lawyer named J. Mac Rust in Waco, TX.
Keep this in mind if you get a letter from a troll demanding you pay money for using your scanning office equipment!