Jobs implicated by former CFO

Might the underling be getting a little revenge? In this case, it's former Apple Chief Financial Officer Fred Anderson, who said he warned CEO Steve Jobs that backdating stock options could result in some accounting issues. Anderson agreed to settle SEC charges for his alleged role in the backdating case. He's paying $3.5 million in fines, without admitting or denying guilt. But he is talking - or at least his lawyer is. Anderson said he warned Jobs about changing the grant date, but that Jobs had provided assurance that the board had previously approved it. It's hard to know where any of this will lead (if anywhere), other than reprising all the questions about Jobs' role in the Apple backdating. But Apple itself won't be sanctioned by the SEC because it cooperated with regulatory probes. Here's part of the statement by Anderson's attorney:

Fred was told by Steve Jobs in late January 2001 that Mr. Jobs had the agreement of the Board of Directors for the Executive Team grant on January 2, 2001. At the time Mr. Jobs provided Fred this assurance, Fred cautioned Mr. Jobs that the Executive Team grant would have to be priced based on the date of the actual Board agreement or there could be an accounting charge. He further advised Mr. Jobs that the Board would have to confirm its prior approval in a legally satisfactory method. He was told by Mr. Jobs that the Board had given its prior approval and the Board would verify it. Fred relied on these statements by Mr. Jobs and from them concluded the grant was being properly handled.