Former HP chair, others hit with criminal charges

Former Hewlett-Packard chairwoman Patricia Dunn and others now face criminal charges from California authorities in the wake of a scheme to spy on journalists to determine who was leaking information about board meetings.

Janet Whitman of the New York Post wrote, “Dunn, along with former H-P chief ethics lawyer Kevin Hunsaker, private investigators Ronald DeLia, Joseph DePante and Bryan Wagner, were each hit with four felony charges.

“The charges – which include use of false pretenses to obtain confidential information; unauthorized access to computer data; identity theft; and conspiracy to commit each of those crimes – each carry a fine of up to $10,000 and three years behind bars.

“Apparently unscathed were H-P Chief Executive Mark Hurd and former general counsel Ann Baskins, who resigned abruptly last week after pleading the Fifth Amendment when quizzed by angry Washington lawmakers probing the company’s conduct.”

Read more here.

Meanwhile, former HP CEO Carly Fiorina details in her new book that she authorized an investigation into leaks at the company, and that former board member Thomas Perkins admitted to talking to a reporter for a story, according to a New York Times article. Read more here.