Dunn to fight 'false' HP charges

Prosecutors have arranged for Ms Dunn and Mr Hunsaker to surrender

Ex-Hewlett Packard boss Patricia Dunn has vowed to fight criminal charges relating to a corporate spying scandal, describing them as "false".

She was charged by prosecutors, along with the firm's former ethics officer and three private investigators.

Each face counts of identity theft, conspiracy and unauthorised access to computer data and could face up to 12 years in jail if convicted.

Ms Dunn quit after leading an internal campaign to trace boardroom leaks.

'Wrong person'

Ms Dunn's lawyer, Jim Brosnahan, said she would contest the allegations with "everything she has".

"These charges are being brought against the wrong person at the wrong time and for the wrong reasons," Mr Brosnahan said.

"They are the culmination of a well-financed and highly orchestrated disinformation campaign. Throughout her entire career, she has stood for corporate process, responsibility and service."

One of our state's most venerable institutions lost its way Bill Lockyer, California Attorney General

Also named in the charges filed by California's attorney general is the computer firm's former chief ethics officer, Kevin Hunsaker, along with private investigator Ronald DeLia and outside investigators Joseph DePante and Bryan Wagner.

Attorney general Bill Lockyer has asked a Californian Judge to issue arrest warrants.

"One of our state's most venerable institutions lost its way," Mr Lockyer said.

"In this misguided effort, people inside and outside HP violated privacy rights and broke state law. Those who cross the legal line must be held accountable."

The accused are also alleged to have used fraudulent pretences to obtain confidential information from a public utility.

But neither Mark Hurd, chief executive of the firm, nor HP's former counsel Ann Baskins were listed in Mr Lockyer's filing.

Investigation

The US firm has been under investigation by US authorities to discover if the company broke any laws during its investigation into media leaks.

Hewlett Packard has been rocked by the scandal

In an attempt to find out which employee had leaked "confidential" reports to the press, investigators obtained the phone records and other data of nine journalists and HP employees, including several board members, without their permission.

The practice - known as "pretexting" - is a common one among private investigators but tests the limits of California state laws, as prosecutors believe it violates laws covering identity theft and unauthorised access to computer data.

Ms Dunn - who had launched the investigation - resigned from HP's board in September.

Denials

She has repeatedly denied knowing about what tactics the investigators would use to uncover the source of the leak, telling a Congressional hearing that she did not endorse any wrongdoing.

Former HP director George Keyworth - who was finally named as the source of the leak - resigned once the news of HP's practices became public.

The news about the firm's spying came to light in filings made to the Securities and Exchange Committee.

HP board member Thomas Perkins pressurised the firm to reveal that he had resigned after he discovered what had been going on at the firm.