HP Staffer Resigns After Receiving Subpoena

Hewlett-Packard (HP) Global Security Manager Anthony Gentilucci, one of a handful people involved in the ongoing scandal over investigations into media leaks at the computer giant, on Friday tendered his resignation just hours after he and two others were subpoenaed by federal authorities, USAToday.com reports.

Gentilucci participated in an HP investigation to determine who leaked sensitive information to media outlets, and he and others employed potentially illegal tactics—including physical and e-mail tracking—to obtain information on reporters and board members, according to USAToday.com.

The House Energy and Commerce Committee is currently attempting to determine which—if any—of the tactics used in the investigation violate laws, USAToday.com reports.  On Monday, it issued subpoenas to Gentilucci, Kevin Hunsaker, HP senior counsel, and Ronald DeLia, an external investigator involved with the probe, ordering them to show at a Thursday hearing, according to USAToday.com.

The three men had previously been asked to attend, but the subpoenas mandate their appearance, USAToday.com reports.

Ryan Donovan, an HP spokesperson, said a half dozen other people have also been asked to appear at Thursday’s hearing, including HP Chief Executive Mark Hurd, former-Chairman Patricia Dunn, and General Counsel Ann Baskins, according to USAToday.com.  Donovan said Hurd, Dunn and Baskins have all agreed to appear before the committee, but he wouldn’t say whether or not Fred Adler, a computer security investigator involved in the probe would appear.  Larry Sonsini, a HP lawyer based out of Silicon Valley, will also appear, according to USAToday.com; however it is unclear whether or not Joe Depante of Action Research Group, a Florida-based detective company, will appear.

The Department of Justice and the Securities Exchange Commission are both currently looking into the scandal.

Keep checking in at our HP Spying Scandal page for more CIO.com coverage of this unfolding story.

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