Ex-Microsoft Manager In Domain Name Scandal

Former Microsoft (NSDQ:MSFT) domain manager Carolyn Gudmundson pleaded guilty to submitting false expense claims for buying and registering domain names to the tune of $1 million, according to sentencing records from the U.S. District Court in Seattle.

Microsoft had no comment on the case.

Gudmundson was ordered to serve 22 months in prison and pay restitution of $923,641 to the Redmond, Wash.-based Microsoft.

Gudmundson pleaded guilty to a total of 18 counts: 11 counts of wire fraud and seven counts of mail fraud. Gudmundson was originally indicted in December 2007.

According to court documetns, Gudmundson worked at Microsoft from 1987 to 2004 and was the sole person responsible for maintaining Microsoft’s some 14,000 domain names, as well as the myriad domain names owned by the Expedia travel site. Gudmundson resigned after Microsoft discovered her transgressions.

Court papers said that beginning in June 2000, Gudmundson began submitting fraudulent travel and expense reports to Microsoft for reimbursement. She had previously been authorized by her manager to use her Microsoft corporate American Express card to expedite the purchase of domain name registrations, renewals, transfers and acquisitions.

Original article : http://www.crn.com/software/209400603