Dell's involvement in scandal questioned

Last week, Dell admitted to four years of falsified quarterly returns, unleashing the biggest financial scandal to hit Round Rock, Texas since...well, ever. At the time, the company stated that "account balances were reviewed, sometimes at the request of senior executives, with the goal of seeking adjustments so that quarterly objectives could be met." However, exactly who was involved in the illicit adjustments remains unclear. This hasn't stopped folks from speculating that responsibility for the fraud might be traced all the way to the top--namely to the doorstep of Dell founder, chairman and now CEO, Michael Dell. As many of you will recall, Dell served as chairman of the company from 2002 to early 2006, which includes the period during which the fraud--which could have adjusted Dell's results by as much as $150 million--took place. While the level of involvement from senior management at the company remains unclear, any linkage found to the company's iconic founder could prove disastrous.

For more on the speculation:
- see this story from the Austin American Statesman