Judges tosses out Facebook case

• Tweet

BOSTON, July 23 (UPI) -- A federal judge in Boston has handed Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss a setback in their legal claims to a larger portion of social network Web site Facebook.

The Winklevoss twins won a $65 million cash and stock settlement with Facebook in 2008, based on their claims that Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg had stolen their idea for the Web site.

Since then, they have attempted to challenge the settlement based on claims that Facebook attorneys hid instant messages from them during the negotiations for the $65 million settlement, the Los Angeles Times reported Saturday.

In June, the Winklevoss twins, classmates of Zuckerberg's at Harvard University, dropped pursuit of a legal challenge that was headed for the U.S. Supreme Court, choosing to focus on the case in Boston, which is based on Facebook hiding information on the true value of the company.

Judge Douglas Woodlock's dismissal of the case was expected, said Tyler Meade, the Winklevosses' attorney.

Meade, however, said he would file a motion to reopen the case based on new evidence having surfaced since the original settlement was made.

Based on the increased value of the company, the Winklevosses' settlement has already risen in value to $200 million, the Times said.