Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti has joined a coalition of 43 state attorneys general to secure an $18 million settlement with the bankruptcy trustee for 23andMe, resolving state claims over a major 2023 data breach that exposed the sensitive genetic and personal information of nearly 7 million customers worldwide.

Under the terms of the agreement, Tennessee is slated to receive $348,687 of the recovered funds.

The 2023 breach impacted 6.9 million customers globally, including 116,395 Tennesseans, exposing personal details alongside sensitive genetic ancestry data.

A joint investigation conducted by the state attorneys general revealed significant security failures by 23andMe, including:

• Failure to implement safeguards against basic “credential stuffing” attacks.

• Inadequate real-time monitoring for suspicious system activity.

• Delayed responses to known security vulnerabilities.

• Delayed breach notification and initially attempting to blame consumers for the incident rather than addressing its security flaws.

“When the privacy of our genetic information is compromised, we can never get that back. The security of our genome matters not just for us, but for our families,” Attorney General Skrmetti said in a statement. “This settlement holds 23andMe accountable for its serious security failures and seeks to ensure stronger protections for our sensitive data going forward.”

Following its 2025 bankruptcy filing, 23andMe’s assets—including vast databases of consumer genetic data—were acquired by TTAM Research Institute.

As part of the settlement and bankruptcy proceedings, the new owner has agreed to strict, binding privacy measures to protect remaining consumer data, including:

• Stronger Data Security: Implementation of enhanced technical safeguards and continuous risk assessments.

• Independent Oversight: Mandatory monitoring to ensure compliance with applicable privacy laws.

• Consumer Control: Guaranteeing users maintain the ongoing right to request the permanent deletion of their genetic information.

The nationwide bipartisan coalition included the attorneys general of Tennessee, Texas, Florida, New York, California, Illinois, and 37 other states and territories.