Former Brooks CEO indicted
A former chief executive of Chelmsford-based Brooks Automation was indicted for income tax evasion yesterday.
According to a press release from the chip manufacturing equipment maker, a criminal indictment against Robert Therrien, who retired as chief executive of Brooks in 2004, was filed yesterday in the US District Court for the District of Massachusetts. The Securities and Exchange Commission filed a separate civil complaint against Therrien on the same day, charging him with violations of federal securities laws.
While the release did not say what Therrien is alleged to have done in either cases, Brooks said it announced a restatement of its financial results from fiscal year 1996 to fiscal year 2005 due to "errors in its stock option granting practices." The company's internal investigation determined that no individual currently involved with the company was part of any intentional wrongdoing related to the stock options, and the company said it is cooperating fully with the Securities and Exchange Commission and the US Attorney's Office for the District of Massachussets. The company has not been charged with any wrongdoing.
(By Se Young Lee, Globe correspondent)
