There Are Fines, And There Is Restitution The South Korean fine might make AMD feel good, but none of that fine will ever end up in Green's empty wallet. It hurts Intel, but doesn't immediately help AMD. Governmental fines generally get paid to the government, not the injured party. Depending on the laws of the particular country, AMD may well be able to file a lawsuit against Intel for damages after getting such a ruling, but there's no immediate relief. The AMD lawsuit against Intel in the U.S., if successful, certainly would do just that, but as you can see from the news item, the initial trial won't start until February 2010, which is more than 4 1/2 years after AMD initially filed it. The trial will take a long time, and any appeals will take a few more years. It's certainly no way for AMD to get quick cash.