SANTA CLARA, Calif., Oct. 4 (UPI) -- Hewlett-Packard Co.'s former chairman will be charged by California officials in a corporate spying scandal, the Washington Post reported Wednesday.
State Attorney General Bill Lockyer, who has been investigating reports HP or its contractors used improper means, including "pretexting," to identify a boardroom mole, will charge Patricia Dunn, the company's ousted chairman, in Santa Clara County Superior Court.
"Pretexting," which involves impersonating someone to get their phone records, violates California laws and federal wire fraud statutes.
Lockyer also will charge former HP ethics director and senior legal counsel Kevin Hunsaker, and three HP outsiders, including Boston security contractor Ronald R. DeLia and two private investigators, Bryan Wagner, of Littleton, Colo., and Matthew DePante, whose firm is in Melbourne, Fla., the Post said.
The felony charges include obtaining phone records under false pretenses, unauthorized access to and use of computer data, identity theft and conspiracy to commit the crimes.
Dunn, 53, resigned last month at the board's request. A breast cancer survivor, she was to begin chemotherapy Wednesday for stage 4 ovarian cancer.
