Susan Lerner at the Jerusalem Post speaks out in defense of Comverse's Kobi Alexander (our favorite former on-the-lam accused white collar criminal), decrying the whole options scandal mess as "not nice" but "not illegal." Kobi is, by the way, out on bail. But if Lerner's point is to be taken seriously, (and she's not the only one doing rep rehab on Alexander right now) the question is not why was Alexander, among other Comverse execs, accused of wrongdoing but rather - why did he run?

Despite Dealberaker's linkbait headline, Apple's Steve Jobs is not going to do time in relation to that company's options probe, although a former CFO of the firm was asked to leave the board. So if there is a defensible - not nice but not illegal - explanation for the contuct of executives at Comverse, trial or even pre-trial is probably the best place to air that out, rather than via emails and sat-phone calls from far flung global hideaways. Dontcha think?

All that said, Alexander apparently plans a not guilty plea. No word on how allegations that he tried to bribe another Comverse exec to take the fall for him will figure in to that, if at all. Extradition, also, is not exactly going to be a quick thing. For my part, well, selfishly I hope Kobi, now that he's again walking the streets, gets the urge to stretch those legs again and head out for the endless vistas with the wind at his back, and global law enforcement on his heels.

-- MDT

Labels: Comverse, Kobi Alexander