Sheryl Sandberg, the former chief operating officer of Meta Platforms, has been sanctioned by a Delaware Chancery Court judge for deleting emails related to the Cambridge Analytica privacy scandal.

The ruling addresses her use of a personal email account under a pseudonym and the deletion of messages deemed relevant to the case.

Vice Chancellor Travis Laster imposed the sanction, challenging Sandberg’s ability to defend herself in the trial set for April.

She is also required to cover costs incurred by shareholders, including the California State Teachers’ Retirement System (CalSTRS), connected to the sanctions motion.

Laster said that Sandberg’s deletion of emails likely removed “the most sensitive and probative exchanges.”

Sandberg said her personal account use was minimal and that business info was kept through other recipients copied on relevant messages.

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