Comments on: Report: No charges in Apple backdating probe

Justice Department ends criminal probe of backdated stock options at Apple and declines to charge any current or former executives, including Steve Jobs, according to a Wall Street Journal report.

[Dead Soulman]

I hate all these stupid politicians wasting our time and money to come out with the same result, nothing. It's the same thing all the time. Stores are gouging customers with high prices during nature-caused disasters, let's investigate. The result, nothing. Oil companies and gas stations are gouging the customers, let's investigate. The result, nothing. We already know they "won't find anything wrong." So, save your time, and our money, and concentrate on other things rather than the typical, "nothing will be done about it" conclusion.

[ittesi259]

Always find nothing? Tell that to the former CEO's of Worldcom, MCI, and others that are in jail, not to mention the dozens that have been forced to resign by their boards/shareholders. Considering the ones that are in jail.....I don't believe they would say its always investigate.....yep, nothin wrong here.

[Magicland]

What do you expect, the stupid politicians are where they are because they take the money of the guys who are guilty as hell but who're never found guilty. Here's a case where everyone is guilty as hell, half of them admit they're guilty, half say the other half are guilty, and nobody even gets a slap on the wrist.

[Perry_Clease]

As stated in the article "this practice isn't illegal, so long as it's disclosed,"

The only thing illegal going on is the animal cruelty charge of beating a dead horse.

[humanssssss]

The record was falsified about the stock option backdating. It did not record the stock option backing and didn't take into the account the accounting costs.

Jobs not only did this at Apple, but he also did it at Pixar. That guy needs to go to jail. He's like a good con-artist. The guy will sell his mother to get away with a crime. He used his former CFO as a scapegoat.

Pathetic man Jobs is.

[Tsee-1968031069905097881578618]

Jobs is too likable to his fans, who will tolerate anything coming out of Apple, but jumps at any little thing from Redmond (no, I in fact wish the Justice Dept. were stronger on MSFT like the EU). And for those complaining of politicians, it's becoming quite clear from this election season that the voters are the real problem. Idiots deserve what they get. I heard there's a book called Just How Stupid are American Voters. Get a copy.

[kool_skatkat]

Are you telling me that the US justice system only looks at likeability and has no skill in investigating? mmm, that's something. If Apple didn't benefit from Steve's return, I'd understand, since it's shareholders that would have been impacted by his actions.

Of course, shareholders of other companies got impacted. mmm....

[ittesi259]

Exactly how have Apple's shareholders been "impacted"? I know some shareholders are suing, but I doubt they can prove they've been damaged when during the time in question Apple's stock only shot up.

[humanssssss]

@kool_skatkat

There's a lawsuit filed by Apple shareholders. So, yes, the shareholders are impacted. In other companies, some companies are not affected but the SEC continue to press criminal charges on the executive.

This case is not about Apple shareholders, more about public trust for those who break the law to make themselves a lot of money. Financial gain outcome is not the point of criminality. We have laws to protect the public from being scammed by companies like Apple. And when Apple, specifically, Steve Jobs break this law, he needs to be charged.

The reason why Steve Jobs isn't charge is probably because he has Al Gore on his board. The rich has powerful political friends that allow them to sidestep the law. This is corruption.

[ittesi259]

Lets not forget the backdating in itself is not illegal, the violation is only not disclosing it.

[Perry_Clease]

"There's a lawsuit filed by Apple shareholders. So, yes, the shareholders are impacted."

Just because SOME shareholders filed a lawsuit doesn't mean that they were impacted by the legal stock backdating. Well they were impacted, but it was to their advantage because Apple stock is worth a lot more after the backdating. Had it gone the stock gone down then there would be a basis for a lawsuit.

"We have laws to protect the public from being scammed by companies like Apple."

"The reason why Steve Jobs isn't charge is probably because he has Al Gore on his board. The rich has powerful political friends that allow them to sidestep the law. This is corruption."

Good point because we all know that Al Gore has control over the Supreme Court of the United States.

[humanssssss]

@Perry_Clease

"Well they were impacted, but it was to their advantage because Apple stock is worth a lot more after the backdating. Had it gone the stock gone down then there would be a basis for a lawsuit."

Apparently, after shareholders know about the backdating, they sold their shares at a LOSS. Now that Apple stocks are up, they lose even more had it not been for the stock option back dating.

That's the basis for the lawsuit. When Apple breaks the law, it induces a loss of investor's confidence in the market.

[Perry_Clease]

"That's the basis for the lawsuit. When Apple breaks the law, it induces a loss of investor's confidence in the market."

But Apple DIDN'T break the law kid.

[MSSlayer]

If it is not illegal then what corruption was there?

Should it be illegal? Probably, but it is not currently.

The shareholders are going to have a hell of a time proving that Apple stock would have gone higher if not for the legal(possibly unethical?) decisions of Apple. In nearly all categories, Apple products are either #1 or experiencing double digit growth rates.

[humanssssss]

Apple fanboys are out in mass. The civil lawsuit will bring out more information to charge Steve Jobs. Right now the Justice Department is being bought and Apple fanboys are pretty ignorant.

[Penguinisto]

Actually, I think you just got caught positing the wrong opinion. Backdating is legal unless you conceal it.

[mr cap]

Steve Jobs never benefited from the back dating as widely reported previously. Backdating options is one of the most common and until recently overlooked corporate practices. Steve has been treated harsher than most execs in this matter and after a long investigation, there are no charges.

Nice try Apple haters but pull your head out of your "you know what" for a minute and you would know that there is no significant basis to move forward with any charges whatsoever.

This will also take the wind out of the sails of the frivolous civil action. Stockholders have seen a 2,000 percent increase in apple stock in recent years and should shut up and enjoy the unprecedented ride they have been on.

Get off the dying horse and ride the wave you might like it!

[black jelly bean]

BS. Steve Jobs and Nancy Heinen (and her shyster subordinates) are both knowing criminal participants in this scam, and were caught trying to cover it up.

They were caught red-handed in early 2006 when a former employee who was cheated out of all of his stock after being wrongfully dismissed, filed a lawsuit against Apple Con-puter.