Former Bruker VP sues over firing

Brian Lamy, a former vice president and tax director for Bruker Corp.'s Biospin unit, sued the Billerica life sciences company in federal court last week, saying he was wrongfully fired after complaining about improper accounting practices.

The suit alleges that Bruker Biospin's subsidiaries in Germany artificially inflated patent reserves to dodge income taxes and boost earnings.

Lamy said he voiced his concerns to his supervisor and a company attorney in June 2007 and was fired a month later because of "poor attendance," according to the suit. Lamy said the company had not previously complained about his attendance. At the time, Bruker BioSpin was a Bruker affiliate, but is now a wholly owned subsidiary of Bruker Corp.

Lamy first filed his complaint with the US Department of Labor last October, but turned to federal court after the department failed to issue a ruling within 180 days. Lamy also complained to the Securities and Exchange Commission, which contacted Bruker in February.

Bruker said in an SEC filing that it plans to cooperate with the agency, but found no evidence of improper activity.
(By Todd Wallack, Globe staff)