Former Microsoft Domain Manager Accused of Stealing $1M
Carolyn Gudmundson, was responsible for managing and registering Microsoft’s domain names between 2000 and 2004. She has been accused of stealing over $1 million from Microsoft and Expedia, according to court papers and a statement released yesterday by the U.S. Attorney in Seattle.
The 18-count indictment (PDF, 10 pages) alleges that Gudmundson used a variety of tactics to inflate her expense reimbursements. For example, prosecutors allege that she used her corporate American Express card to pay for domain registrations and then submitted doctored receipts to receive more than she paid.
Gudmundson is a 44 year old woman from Kirkland, Seattle. She was arrested Thursday night and made her initial appearance in court yesterday, as reported by Todd Bishop who attended the court appearance. She has been indicted on 11 counts of wire fraud and seven counts of mail fraud. The U.S. Attorney’s Office says those offenses, on conviction, are punishable by up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Microsoft released this statement: “We can confirm that Microsoft worked closely with authorities on this investigation. We take employee theft seriously and have internal measures in place to help identify fraudulent activities.”
For more information on the case against Gudmundson read the this report on Todd Bishop’s Microsoft Blog.
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December 9th, 2007 at 5:20 am
lol, stealing from Microsoft, who would want to do such a thing!
December 10th, 2007 at 12:22 am
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December 10th, 2007 at 7:43 am
I would have expected this from a Google employee… but Microsoft? I’m befuddled.
December 10th, 2007 at 10:55 am
Microsoft ousts all of other projects!
December 10th, 2007 at 3:54 pm
I’m almost amused by this. “We take employee theft seriously and have internal measures in place to help identify fraudulent activities.”
But yet this happened from 2000-2004 and they didn’t do anything about it until now after she already got 1 mil and only has to pay 250k?
December 10th, 2007 at 4:29 pm
Microsoft is monopolist. Yet.But Apple not strongly falls behind in the field of OS (even vice versa). But now Microsoft is the best
December 10th, 2007 at 6:26 pm
Everybody is has a thief inside. It is the compulsion of easy money that people can not avoid and start doing all irrelevant things.
December 10th, 2007 at 9:38 pm
That’s why they say the rich keep getting richer. Greed. Pure greed.
December 11th, 2007 at 7:27 pm
Damn, you could buy a lot of domains with $1 million, haha.
Nice blog you have here Dot!
F.
December 13th, 2007 at 2:21 am
That’s huge money. That’s scary
December 18th, 2007 at 4:04 pm
Very interesting. Play it safe. The good guys always win in the end…
December 21st, 2007 at 1:34 am
wow..whoever would think an employee would have the guts to steal $1M .. wow..
January 5th, 2008 at 10:58 am
Could not agee with you more..