InterDigital Inc (IDCC)

[nieves]

OT:Former leadership of Ericsson could face accounting charges, investigator
says
STOCKHOLM, Sweden, May 23, 2003 (AP WorldStream via COMTEX) -- Former top executives at wireless equipment maker LM Ericsson could face accounting charges for obstructing a tax audit in 2001, a Swedish investigator said Friday.
Police believe some company employees obstructed the audit by not accounting for 2.5 billion kronor (US$317.8 million) paid to marketing consultants.
Police haven't released the names of the nine suspects, but the lead investigator said Friday the probe centered on the company's leadership in 1998 and 1999.
"They have had leading positions," Lars Hammar told The Associated Press, declining to be more specific. "They've handled the economics at Ericsson at a senior level."
Sven-Christer Nilsson was chief executive of Ericsson until July 1999.
Hammar, of the Swedish National Economic Crimes Bureau, would not say if they were among the suspects.
Ericsson spokeswoman Aase Lindskog declined to comment on the allegations, saying "we never comment on an ongoing probe."
In the 2001 audit of Ericsson's 1999 tax records, tax officials concluded that Ericsson did not provide sufficient documentation to support the deductions and ordered the company to pay another 100 million kronor (US$12.7 million) in taxes.
On Wednesday, Swedish and Swiss investigators raided offices and banks in and around Zurich, Switzerland, and seized documents, business records and electronic information related to the investigation.
Swiss officials said the raids were also focusing on a money-laundering probe involving a Swiss firm using the Ericsson name.
Hammar said it was too early to measure the results of the seizures, but added that the investigation was expected to be completed in July or August. Prosecutors will then decide if there's enough evidence to file charges.
---
On the Net:
Ericsson: http://www.ericsson.com
Copyright 2003 Associated Press, All rights reserved
-0-
APO Priority=r (PROFILE (WS SL:BC-EU-FIN-COM--Sweden-Ericsson; CT:f; (REG:MEST;) (REG:ENGL;) (REG:AFRI;) (REG:ASIA;) (LANG:ENGLISH;)) )
KEYWORD: STOCKHOLM, Sweden