Two senior WorldCom officials were to be formally charged by federal prosecutors this afternoon for their roles in the company's $3.8 billion accounting scandal.
Mr Scott Sullivan, WorldCom's fired chief financial officer, and Mr David Myers, the former controller, were to come before a magistrate this morning, police officials said.
The Wall Street Journalreported the two men are expected to be charged with securities, wire and mail fraud, and they could face up to 15 years in jail if convicted.
Lawyers for both Mr Myers and Mr Sullivan have been meeting prosecutors in the past few weeks amid speculation they might seek a deal under which both men might agree to testify against other WorldCom executives.
In late June, WorldCom revealed it had $3.8 billion of accounting discrepancies that wiped out its 2001 profits.
The company then filed for Chapter 11 protection under US bankruptcy law, allowing it to keep operating as it reorganises its finances. AFP