I agree with your point that getting screwed happens all the time to people who put much more blood, sweat and tears into these companies. Doesn't make it righ

I agree with your point that getting screwed happens all the time to people who put much more blood, sweat and tears into these companies. Doesn't make it right regardless of who it happens to. According to the popular retelling of the story, he didn't leave the company... he was pushed out. Then he had to sue to get his gazillion dollars. It's entirely possible that there could have been an argument made that Saverin wasn't living up to his end of things, his vision didn't align with where the company was going etc. and that he should accept a reduced interest in the company for those or any number of reasons... but that's not what happened: they tried to quietly and specifically dilute away his interest in the company. Worst case, if they made that argument and Saverin said no, Zuck could have said 'then screw it, let's let this thing die' and when it did swooped in with other partners/investors and picked up the assets for pennies and restarted under new ownership. Could that have risked everything? Possibly, but going the way they did did so as well... they're lucky they got out of it for only a few billion.