Overview
- U.S. Magistrate Judge Robyn F. Tarnofsky issued the Oct. 31 order, awarding MSG $642,337 tied to efforts to recover Oakley’s missing text messages.
- MSG had sought roughly $1.5 million, but the court reduced the request after capping rates and finding some billing entries insufficiently supported.
- The award includes about $604,000 in attorney fees and roughly $38,022 in costs, according to the court’s breakdown.
- The fee sanction follows a spoliation finding that Oakley failed to preserve relevant texts, preserving MSG’s ability to seek an adverse inference if the case goes to trial.
- Oakley’s attorney, Valdi Licul, said they will appeal the fee order as the underlying lawsuit—partially revived on appeal in 2023—continues and MSG’s summary judgment bid remains pending.