comp21825
comp21825
Plaintiff,
v.
JOSEPH P. NACCHIO,
ROBERT S. WOODRUFF,
AFSHIN MOHEBBI,
JAMES J. KOZLOWSKI,
FRANK T. NOYES,
Defendants.
________________________________________________________________________
I. SUMMARY
1) From at least April 1, 1999 through March 31, 2002, senior executives and others at
Qwest Communications International Inc. engaged in a massive financial fraud that hid
from the investing public the true source of the company’s revenue and growth, caused
the company to improperly report billions of dollars of revenue, and facilitated the
2) Joseph P. Nacchio, Qwest’s chief executive officer during the time of the fraudulent
conduct, Robert S. Woodruff, the company’s chief financial officer until March 2001,
and others, caused, directed, and implemented the fraudulent scheme. As part of the
financial fraud, Nacchio and Woodruff consistently portrayed to the public and Wall
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Street that Qwest’s revenue and growth resulted from recurring revenue sources such
as Internet, data and telecommunication services, when in fact they knew, and failed to
disclose, that Qwest’s revenue and growth resulted largely from nonrecurring or one-
time revenue from IRU and equipment sale transactions. 1 Extreme emphasis was
placed on revenue and growth targets and tremendous pressure was placed on
employees to meet the targets through any means available. For example, at a January
2001 all-employee meeting, Nacchio stated that, “[T]he most important thing we do is
meet our numbers. It’s more important than any individual product, it’s more
important than any individual philosophy, it’s more important than any individual
cultural change we’re making. We stop everything else when we don’t make the
numbers.”
3) To meet the targets, Qwest relied on immediate revenue recognition from one-time
sales of assets known as “IRUs” and certain equipment while falsely claiming to the
investing public that the revenue was recurring. By hiding non-recurring revenue and
making false and misleading public statements, Nacchio and Woodruff fraudulently
investing public. Afshin Mohebbi, Qwest’s president and/or chief operating officer
during the time of the fraudulent conduct, also knew that Qwest’s performance was
fraud by procuring the one-time revenue used to meet the revenue and growth targets
1
The allegations concerning IRU transactions in this complaint are limited to the IRU transactions listed on
Exhibits A-C attached hereto.
2
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4) Qwest relied so heavily on the immediate revenue recognition from one-time IRU and
equipment sales transactions to meet its revenue and growth targets that Qwest
transactions to meet revenue targets led some in the company to refer sarcastically to
Transactions).
5) To meet revenue and growth targets, Nacchio, Woodruff and others also caused the
6) Woodruff and certified public accountants James J. Kozlowski and Frank T. Noyes,
his subordinates until September 2000, failed to ensure that revenue from IRU and
and Noyes failed to make required accounting disclosures about IRUs to the investing
public.
7) To meet revenue targets, others at Qwest, including Mohebbi and Noyes, manipulated
8) Nacchio and Woodruff sold Qwest stock and made significant profits, knowing and
failing to disclose that Qwest had issued materially false information to the investing
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9) During the fraudulent scheme, the defendants profited through salary, bonuses, stock
10) Qwest’s stock had traded as high as $64 per share in 2000. The fraudulent scheme
unraveled beginning in late August 2001. Thereafter, Qwest’s stock price steadily
declined to a low of $1.11 per share in August 2002 after the company announced it
was going to restate its previous financial results. Qwest’s market capitalization
dropped by $91,000,000,000.
II. DEFINITIONS
11) Analysts – professionals who evaluate public companies and their stock.
12) Dark fiber – raw glass fiber cable that has been installed, but does not have equipment
13) Earnings release – a press release issued by Qwest that publicly announced its quarterly
15) Fiber-optic network – cables containing strands of glass fiber cable and related
equipment for the transmission of data between any two points using beams of light.
16) GAAP (Generally Accepted Accounting Principles) – rules that public companies like
Qwest must use in accounting for business transactions and reporting financial results
17) Grooming – moving lit capacity sold in IRU transactions to promote network
recognition improper under GAAP because the assets do not remain fixed and
unchanged.
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18) IRU (Indefeasible Right of Use) – an irrevocable right to use a specific amount of dark
19) Lit capacity – a specific portion of installed glass fiber cable that is connected to
21) Merger – the transaction announced on July, 1999 resulting in a merger between Qwest
SEC filings that is required, and contains management’s explanation and discussion of
23) Outside Auditor – an independent certified public accountant who examines the
financial statements of public companies, like Qwest, and issues an opinion about
whether the company’s financial statements comply with GAAP. Public companies
are required by SEC rules to have audits of their year-end financial statements.
24) Porting – allowing IRU purchasers the ability to exchange the dark fiber or lit capacity
purchased for different fiber or capacity at a later date. Porting makes immediate
revenue recognition improper under GAAP because the assets do not remain fixed and
unchanged.
25) SEC filings – quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, annual reports on Form 10-K, and other
reports on Form 8-K, filed with the SEC as required by law, that are available to the
public.
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26) Swap – an IRU transaction in which Qwest sold an IRU to another company in
27) The SEC brings this action pursuant to the authority conferred upon it by Securities
Act of 1933 Section 20(b) [15 U.S.C. § 77t(b)] and Securities Exchange Act of 1934
28) This Court has jurisdiction over this action pursuant to Securities Act Section 22(a) [15
U.S.C. § 77v(a)] and Exchange Act Sections 21(e) and 27 [15 U.S.C. §§ 78u(e) and
78aa]. Venue lies in this Court pursuant to Securities Act Section 22(a) and Exchange
29) In connection with the transactions, acts, practices, and courses of business described
in this Complaint, the Defendants, directly and indirectly, have made use of the means
30) Certain of the transactions, acts, practices, and courses of business constituting the
31) Nacchio engaged in violations of the securities laws, including the following:
a) by falsely representing that Qwest was meeting its revenue and growth targets with
recurring services revenue and failing to disclose that Qwest was meeting those
targets with revenue from one-time IRU and equipment sales, by misrepresenting
the increase of revenue resulting from changes in the publication of Dex directories,
information about Qwest’s business, Nacchio violated Sections 17(a)(1), (2), and
6
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(3) of the Securities Act [15 U.S.C. § 77q(a)], Section 10(b) of the Exchange Act
[15 U.S.C. § 78j(b)] and Rule 10b-5 [17 C.F.R. § 240.10b-5] thereunder, and, unless
b) by causing Qwest’s books and records to falsely include one-time sales of IRUs and
Act [15 U.S.C. § 78m(b)(5)] and Rule 13b2-1 [17 C.F.R. § 240.13b2-1] thereunder,
and aided and abetted violations of Section 13(b)(2) of the Exchange Act [15 U.S.C.
violations;
when in fact he knew that Qwest had failed to disclose the true composition of its
revenue and the true nature of revenue from changes in the publication of Dex
directories, Nacchio violated Rule 13b2-2 [17 C.F.R. § 240.13b2-2] under the
Exchange Act, and unless restrained and enjoined, is likely to engage in future
violations;
d) by falsely representing that Qwest was meeting its revenue and growth targets with
recurring services revenue and failing to disclose that Qwest was meeting those
targets with one-time IRU and equipment sales, by causing Qwest’s filings to
falsely include one-time sales of IRUs and equipment in services revenue while
failing to disclose revenue from one-time IRU and equipment sales, and by causing
directories, Nacchio aided and abetted Qwest’s violations of Section 13(a) of the
Exchange Act [15 U.S.C. § 78m(a)] and Rules 12b-20, 13a-1, 13a-11, and 13a-13
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32) Woodruff engaged in violations of the securities laws, including the following:
a) by falsely representing that Qwest was meeting its revenue and growth targets with
recurring services revenue and failing to disclose that Qwest was meeting those
targets with revenue from one-time IRU and equipment sales, by misrepresenting
the increase of revenue resulting from changes in the publication of Dex directories,
information about Qwest’s business, Woodruff violated Sections 17(a)(1), (2), and
(3) of the Securities Act, Section 10(b) of the Exchange Act and Rule 10b-5
violations;
b) by failing to implement proper procedures to ensure that revenue from IRU sales
was appropriately recognized and was not wrongly recorded in Qwest’s books and
records, Woodruff violated Sections 17(a)(2) and (3) of the Securities Act, and
requirements were met or failing to ensure that such controls were instituted, and by
causing Qwest’s books and records to falsely include one-time sales of IRUs and
Exchange Act and Rule 13b2-1 thereunder, and aided and abetted violations of
Section 13(b)(2) of the Exchange Act, and unless restrained and enjoined, is likely
8
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when in fact he knew that Qwest had failed to disclose the true composition of its
revenue and the true nature of revenue from changes in the publication of Dex
directories, Woodruff violated Rule 13b2-2 under the Exchange Act, and unless
e) by falsely representing that Qwest was meeting its revenue and growth targets with
recurring services revenue and failing to disclose that Qwest was meeting those
targets with one-time IRU and equipment sales, by causing Qwest’s filings to
falsely include one-time sales of IRUs and equipment in services revenue while
failing to disclose revenue from one-time IRU and equipment sales, by causing
directories, and by failing to ensure that Qwest’s public filings adequately disclosed
revenue from one-time IRU and equipment sales and causing Qwest to improperly
report revenue from IRU transactions, Woodruff aided and abetted Qwest’s
violations of Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act and Rules 12b-20, 13a-1, 13a-11,
and 13a-13 thereunder, and unless restrained and enjoined, is likely to engage in
future violations.
33) Mohebbi engaged in violations of the securities laws, including the following:
a) by causing the recognition of revenue from contracts that did not meet revenue
Mohebbi violated Sections 17(a)(1), (2), and (3) of the Securities Act and Section
10(b) of the Exchange Act and Rule 10b-5 thereunder, and unless restrained and
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b) by causing one-time sales of IRUs and equipment while knowing that the source
and nature of that revenue from those sales was not disclosed, but rather, was hidden
and misrepresented, and by causing the recognition of revenue from contracts that
Act Section 10(b) and Rule 10b-5 thereunder, and unless restrained and enjoined, is
c) by causing revenue from contracts that had been backdated and contracts that did
records, Mohebbi violated Section 13(b)(5) of the Exchange Act and Rule 13b2-1
thereunder, and aided and abetted violations of 13(b)(2) of the Exchange Act, and
Mohebbi violated Rule 13b2-2 under the Exchange Act, and unless restrained and
e) by causing one-time sales of IRUs and equipment while knowing that the source
and nature of revenue from those sales was not disclosed in Qwest’s public filings,
but rather, was hidden and misrepresented in those filings, by allowing the
recognition of revenue from contracts that had been backdated, and by allowing the
recognition of revenue from contracts that did not meet revenue recognition
requirements, Mohebbi aided and abetted violations of Exchange Act Section 13(a)
and Rules 12b-20, 13a-1, 13a-11, and 13a-13 thereunder, and unless restrained and
10
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34) Kozlowski engaged in violations of the securities laws, including the following:
a) by failing to ensure that Qwest’s public filings adequately disclosed revenue from
one-time IRU and equipment sales, Kozlowski violated Sections 17(a)(1), (2), and
(3) of the Securities Act and Section 10(b) of the Exchange Act and Rule 10b-5
violations;
b) by failing to implement proper procedures to ensure that revenue from IRU sales
was appropriately recognized and was not wrongly recorded in Qwest’s books and
records, Kozlowski violated Sections 17(a)(2) and (3) of the Securities Act, and
requirements were met, or failing to ensure that such controls were instituted and
Kozlowski violated Section 13(b)(5) of the Exchange Act and Rule 13b2-1
thereunder, and aided and abetted violations of Section 13(b)(2) of the Exchange
Act, and unless restrained and enjoined, is likely to engage in future violations;
d) by failing to ensure that Qwest’s public filings adequately disclosed revenue from
one-time IRU and equipment sales and causing Qwest to improperly report revenue
from IRU transactions, Kozlowski aided and abetted violations of Section 13(a) of
the Exchange Act and Rules 12b-20, 13a-1, 13a-11, and 13a-13 thereunder, and
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35) Noyes engaged in violations of the securities laws, including the following:
a) by failing to ensure that Qwest’s public filings adequately disclosed revenue from
one-time IRU and equipment sales and by causing recognition of revenue from
backdated contracts, Noyes violated Sections 17(a)(1), (2) and (3) of the Securities
Act and Section 10(b) of the Exchange Act and Rule 10b-5 thereunder, and unless
b) by failing to implement proper procedures to ensure that revenue from IRU sales
was appropriately recognized and was not wrongly recorded in Qwest’s books and
records, Noyes violated Sections 17(a)(2) and (3) of the Securities Act, and unless
requirements were met, or failing to ensure that such controls were instituted and
thereby causing revenue to be wrongly recorded in Qwest’s books and records, and
records, Noyes violated Section 13(b)(5) of the Exchange Act and Rule 13b2-1
thereunder, and aided and abetted violations of Section 13(b)(2) of the Exchange
Act, and unless restrained and enjoined, is likely to engage in future violations;
d) by failing to ensure that Qwest’s public filings adequately disclosed revenue from
one-time IRU and equipment sales, by causing Qwest’s filings to include revenue
from backdated contracts, and by causing Qwest to improperly report revenue from
IRU transactions, Noyes aided and abetted violations of Section 13(a) of the
Exchange Act and Rules 12b-20, 13a-1, 13a-11, and 13a-13 thereunder, and unless
12
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36) The defendants’ violations resulted in various materially false and misleading
statements contained in: Qwest’s SEC Forms 10-K - for the periods ending December
31, 1999, December 31, 2000, and December 31, 2001; Qwest’s SEC Forms 10-Q - for
the periods ended March 31, 1999, June 30, 1999, September 30, 1999, March 31,
2000, June 30, 2000, September 30, 2000, March 31, 2001, June 30, 2001, September
30, 2001 and March 31, 2002; Qwest’s SEC Forms 8-K - dated June 30, 2000, July 6,
2000, September 7, 2000, October 31, 2000, December 21, 2000, February 26, 2001,
March 22, 2001, June 5, 2001, June 19, 2001, June 20, 2001, July 24, 2001 (amended),
August 7, 2001, August 7, 2001 (amended), and 8-Ks incorporating earnings releases;
Qwest’s Earnings Releases - issued April 21, 1999, July 27, 1999, October 27, 1999,
February 2, 2000, April 19, 2000, July 19, 2000, October 24, 2000, January 24, 2001,
April 24, 2001, and July 24, 2001; all SEC filings and statements, including
registration statements filed with the SEC, that incorporated the above documents;
Management Representation Letters - dated in 1999, March 15, 2000, March 17, 2000,
August 11, 2000, November 14, 2000, January 24, 2001, March 16, 2001, April 25,
2001, May 15, 2001, August 14, 2001, November 14, 2001 and March 31, 2002;
Analyst conference calls - on April 21, 1999, July 27, 1999, October 27, 1999,
February 2, 2000, April 19, 2000, July 19, 2000, October 24, 2000, January 24, 2001,
April 24, 2001, June 19, 2001, June 20, 2001, July 24, 2001, and September 10, 2001;
Conference presentations - on October 31, 2000, March 5, 2001, and August 7, 2001;
and Television appearances - on April 26, 2001, May 25, 2001, and June 19, 2001.
During the relevant time period, Defendants Nacchio and Woodruff signed or
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presentations. Defendant Mohebbi was familiar with Qwest’s public filings and
participated in certain analyst calls and conference presentations during the relevant
time period. Defendants Kozlowski and Noyes materially assisted in the preparation
of the Forms 10-K and Forms 10-Q from April 1999 through September 2000.
V. DEFENDANTS
37) Joseph P. Nacchio was Qwest’s chief executive officer, or CEO, and chairman of the
board of directors from January 1997 to June 2002. He signed Qwest’s materially false
and misleading 1999, 2000, and 2001 10-K annual reports filed with the SEC, and false
approved all 10-Q quarterly reports filed with the SEC. He drafted and/or approved all
38) Robert S. Woodruff was Qwest’s chief financial officer, or CFO, and executive vice
president (“EVP”) of finance from August 1994 to March 2001. While CFO,
Woodruff signed all of Qwest’s materially false 10-Q quarterly reports filed with the
SEC and Qwest’s materially false 1999 10-K annual report. He drafted and/or
reviewed the materially false 2000 10-K. He also signed false management
representation letters to Qwest’s outside auditors. Woodruff drafted and approved for
public release all earnings releases while he was CFO. He spoke at relevant analyst
39) Afshin Mohebbi was Qwest’s president and chief operating officer, or COO from May
1999 until June 30, 2000. As a result of the merger, Qwest eliminated the COO
position, and between June 30, 2000 and April 2001, Mohebbi was Qwest’s president
14
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of Network Services and World Wide Operations. In April 2001, Qwest reinstituted
the COO position and re-designated Mohebbi as president and COO. He remained in
40) James J. Kozlowski was Qwest’s director of financial reporting from April 1998
through October 1999, and Qwest’s senior director of financial reporting from
November 1999 through September 2000. Kozlowski drafted all fraudulent and
misleading 10-Q quarterly reports and 10-K annual reports from April 1999 through
September 2000.
41) Frank T. Noyes was a senior manager and then director of financial reporting between
April 1999 and September 2000. In September 2000, he left Qwest, but returned as a
senior director of finance in April 2001. Noyes assisted in drafting all fraudulent and
misleading 10-Q quarterly reports and 10-K annual reports from April 1999 through
September 2000.
42) Qwest Communications International Inc., based in Denver, Colorado, is one of the
largest telephone and Internet service companies in the United States. In June 2000,
Qwest merged with US West, a regional “Baby Bell” company. Qwest’s common
stock is registered with the SEC pursuant to Exchange Act Section 12(b) and the
company is required by law to make filings with the SEC. Qwest’s common stock
trades on the New York Stock Exchange. During 2000 and 2001, Qwest made public
filed with the SEC between April 1999 and March 2002. Approximately $40 billion
15
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43) The SEC seeks an order requiring each defendant to disgorge compensation received
while they committed the violations alleged during their employment at Qwest. The
a) Nacchio, from 1999 through 2001, received total compensation from Qwest of at
least $216.4 million. This includes his salary, bonus, incentive plan payments,
profits from the sale of Qwest stock, and the value of stock he received from
b) Woodruff, from 1999 through 2000, received total compensation from Qwest of at
least $41 million. This includes his salary, bonus, profits from the sale of Qwest
stock, and the value of stock he received from companies seeking to do business
with Qwest.
c) Mohebbi, from 1999 through 2001, received total compensation from Qwest of at
least $5.9 million. This includes his salary, bonus, and the value of stock he
d) Kozlowski, from 1999 through 2000, received total compensation from Qwest of at
least $472,000. This includes his salary, bonus, and profits from the sale of Qwest
stock.
e) Noyes, between 1999 and 2001, received total compensation from Qwest of at least
16
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44) Nacchio and Woodruff frequently announced to the public and Wall Street that
Qwest’s rapid growth resulted from an increase in Qwest’s recurring revenue from
45) Qwest met its revenue and growth targets, but largely from an increase in one-time
sales of IRUs and equipment rather than from recurring Internet, data and
and C was hidden in services revenue to make it appear that Qwest was meeting targets
46) Nacchio, Woodruff, and Mohebbi knew that growth of revenue from Internet, data
and telecommunication services was particularly valued by investors and stock analysts
who believed such revenue was recurring and predictable. They also knew that
investors and analysts discounted non-recurring one-time revenue events like IRU and
equipment sales when valuing the company and its stock. Thus Nacchio, Woodruff
and Mohebbi knew that the manner in which Qwest was meeting its revenue and
47) Nacchio, Woodruff and others failed to disclose that Qwest had relied on non-
recurring or one-time IRU and equipment sales to meet its revenue and growth targets
when, in fact, one-time IRU and equipment sales comprised a material amount of
a) In 1999, Qwest had total revenue of $3.9 billion. Hidden one-time IRU and
equipment sales revenue from transactions listed on Exhibit A accounted for over
$900 million, or 23 percent of that amount. The source and nature of this one-time
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revenue was misrepresented and was not disclosed in the public filings, analyst
b) In the first two quarters of 2000, before Qwest merged with US West, Qwest had
total revenue of almost $2.5 billion. Hidden one-time IRU and equipment sales
revenue from the transactions listed on Exhibit B accounted for $731 million, or
almost 30 percent of the $2.5 billion total. The source and nature of this revenue
was misrepresented and was not disclosed in the public filings, analyst calls, public
c) After the merger with US West, for the first two quarters of 2001, Qwest reported
total revenue of $10.27 billion. Of that, almost $1.2 billion, or over 10 percent, was
revenue from the hidden one-time IRU and equipment sales listed on Exhibit C.
The source and nature of this revenue was misrepresented and was not disclosed in
the public filings, analyst calls, public statements or earnings releases referenced in
paragraph 36.
48) No meaningful disclosure of revenue from one-time sales of IRUs and equipment was
49) In the early 1990s, Qwest was a construction company building a fiber-optic network
connecting major cities within the United States. The original business plan was to
create the network and then sell the company shortly thereafter.
50) After Nacchio joined Qwest as CEO in January 1997, he changed the direction of the
company and decided that Qwest would use the network to become a major
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telecommunications company. Qwest planned to sell all but 48 of the dark fiber
strands in each cable of the network in the form of IRUs. Qwest intended to keep the
remaining strands and “light” them in order to generate revenue for itself by selling
telecommunications services.
51) Beginning in 1998, Nacchio and Woodruff publicly heralded the completion of
recurring revenue. Qwest also publicly stated that its dark fiber sales were
diminishing, that its network was nearly complete, and that its recurring
a) Qwest’s earnings release for the third quarter 1998 announced an “eighteen-fold”
b) In Qwest’s earnings release for year-end 1998, Nacchio was quoted announcing
services provider saying “we successfully transitioned Qwest from building a state-
c) In the earnings release for year-end 1998, Woodruff was quoted stating that Qwest
had “momentum in our effort to promote wide-spread use of Internet and web-based
communication services.”
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d) The earnings release for the first quarter 1999 stated that, while total revenue had
increased, construction revenue (dark fiber sales) had declined “reflecting Qwest’s
2. By 1999 Qwest Began Meeting Revenue and Growth Targets With One-time
Sales
52) By 1999, Qwest was selling IRUs and recognizing the revenue immediately. Further,
revenue. Although these were one-time IRU and equipment sales, Qwest fraudulently
included the one-time revenue in its reported recurring services revenue starting in July
1999.
53) Throughout 1999, Nacchio and Woodruff continued to claim that Qwest’s past
telephone, data and Internet services, and to predict double-digit growth in that revenue
and EBITDA. For example in the earnings release for the third quarter 1999, Nacchio
is quoted saying, “[w]e’ve said from the beginning that we are creating a growth
company and our results clearly show the steps we’ve taken … and rapidly growing
54) Over time, Qwest’s dependence on IRUs grew so large that it became a major part of
a) In September 1999, an internal e-mail explained that, “[w]e are closing in on the end
of the quarter and once again IRUs must be a top priority to Qwest making our
revenue targets.”
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b) One Qwest executive responded to Qwest’s bonus plan by telling his sales team,
“[L]eave no stone unturned.” “We will drop everything to close an IRU this
3. The True Source and Nature of Qwest’s Growth Was Not Disclosed in Qwest’s
1999 Annual Report
55) In early 2000, Kozlowski determined that IRU revenue was material to Qwest’s
56) Kozlowski told Woodruff that the scope and extent of reliance on IRU transactions
57) Kozlowski also discussed IRU disclosure with Qwest’s outside auditor who told him
Qwest should provide disclosure in the footnotes to the financial statements detailing
not only Qwest’s IRU accounting policy, but also the amount of revenue and gross
58) Qwest’s outside auditor also told Woodruff that Qwest should make disclosure of its
IRU transactions.
59) Kozlowski and Noyes then drafted IRU disclosure for inclusion in the 1999 10-K
annual report. At Kozlowski’s direction, Noyes inserted this draft IRU disclosure in
the draft 10-K. Noyes circulated the draft 10-K with the disclosure to Woodruff for
review.
60) Before filing the 1999 10-K annual report with the SEC on March 17, 2000, Woodruff
told Kozlowski that he needed to discuss the IRU disclosure with Nacchio.
Immediately before the 10-K was filed with the SEC, Woodruff told Kozlowski to
remove the IRU disclosure language. As a result Kozlowski told Noyes to “take it
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out” and the IRU disclosure language was removed from Qwest’s 1999 10-K filed with
the SEC.
61) Nacchio and Woodruff each signed management representation letters to Qwest’s
outside auditors falsely stating, among other things, that the financial statements in the
1999 10-K were not materially misleading and complied with GAAP. These letters
were false because Nacchio and Woodruff each knew that Qwest’s financial
statements misrepresented the nature and source of Qwest’s revenue and growth.
62) Qwest’s outside auditor who had approved the filing of the 10-K with the IRU
disclosure language was never consulted about the removal of that language from the
filed annual report and had no knowledge that the 10-K was being filed without the
63) In early 2000, Nacchio and Woodruff still claimed to the public that Qwest’s past
a) The first quarter 2000 earnings release announced, “strong Internet and data services
b) In the first quarter 2000 earnings release, Nacchio was quoted stating, “[w]e
continue to drive strong demand for our industry-leading portfolio of Internet and
c) In the same release, Woodruff was quoted claiming, “[w]e … expect continued
strong revenue and EBITDA growth led by the demand for Qwest’s Internet-based
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64) On June 30, 2000, Qwest completed a merger with US West, a regional “Baby Bell”
telephone company. The merger agreement had been announced in July, 1999.
65) The merger agreement required Qwest to issue $69 worth of its common stock for each
share of US West stock. US West had the option to terminate the merger agreement if,
among other things, Qwest stock was below $22 per share for 20 consecutive trading
days between July 1999 and June 2000. By August 9, 1999, shortly after the merger
announcement, Qwest's stock price had dropped from $34 per share to only $26 per
share. Nacchio, Woodruff and Mohebbi all knew that a decline in the stock price
66) Defendants’ failures to disclose that Qwest’s growth had been largely fueled through
one-time sales kept Qwest’s stock price high allowing completion of the merger with
US West.
67) By June 2000, Qwest stock was trading above $50 per share and Qwest was able to
merge with US West by using Qwest's common stock, a currency that was significantly
5. The Growth of Reliance on One-time Sales After the June 2000 Merger With
US West
68) Following the merger, the telecommunications industry generally experienced declines
double-digit growth from communication services for the company, Qwest continued
to meet its revenue and growth targets using one-time sales and Nacchio and
Woodruff continued to announce that Qwest was meeting its revenue and growth
targets without disclosing that the growth was fueled by one-time IRU and equipment
sales.
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69) Nacchio and Woodruff continued to emphasize that Qwest had transformed itself from
other reasons, Nacchio and Woodruff failed to disclose the existence of the one-time
IRU and equipment sales that had fueled Qwest’s growth and the significance of those
a) Qwest’s second quarter 2000 earnings release stated, “Internet and data services
grew more than 150 percent over the second quarter of 1999 and now comprise
b) In that same release, Woodruff was quoted saying, “Internet and data services
c) Qwest’s third quarter 2000 earnings release continued to predict future revenue
d) Qwest’s fourth quarter 2000 earnings release stated, “Internet and data services, a
e) In that same release, Nacchio was quoted saying, “With the initial integration of the
merger successfully complete, we are on track to meet our expected growth rates.”
f) The fourth quarter 2000 earnings release emphasized data and Internet services
revenue growth, stating that such revenue had increased some 40 percent and
g) None of the earnings releases disclosed that Qwest’s revenue and growth were being
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6. The True Source and Nature of Qwest’s Growth Was Not Disclosed in Qwest’s
2000 Annual Report
70) In early 2001, Qwest’s auditor insisted to Woodruff that Qwest include in the 2000 10-
K annual report disclosure about the significance of IRUs to the company. Woodruff
caused the following materially false and misleading language to be included in the
2000 10-K annual report in the MD & A discussion: “To a lesser extent, the Company
sells capacity under [IRU] contracts. Revenues from these contracts are included in
commercial services and were not significant in either fiscal 2000 or 1999.” Among
other things, the statement was materially false and misleading because it grossly
minimized Qwest’s use of IRUs, stated falsely that they were insignificant and failed to
disclose the true nature of the revenue. Moreover, it was materially false and
7. The Failure to Disclose One-time Sales During the First Half of 2001
71) During 2001, Nacchio and Woodruff continued to stress that Qwest had established a
pattern of meeting its growth and revenue targets. These statements continued to be
materially false because, among other reasons, Nacchio and Woodruff failed to
disclose the existence of one-time IRU and equipment sales and the significance of the
a) In the first quarter 2001 earnings call with analysts, Nacchio stated, “We have 12
percent revenue growth our first quarter [2001] over first quarter [2000] - it is 2 to 3
b) Qwest’s second quarter 2001 earnings release stated, “Qwest has met or exceeded
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c) That same release also stated that, “Second quarter Internet, data and IP services
revenues grew about 41 percent over the second quarter 2000. Internet and data
d) Neither the earnings call nor the earnings releases disclosed that Qwest’s revenue
and growth were being met with revenue from one-time IRU and equipment sales.
72) In January 2001, a senior Qwest executive warned Nacchio and Woodruff that given
was growing concerned about how Qwest could continue to meet its aggressive public
revenue projections.
73) By at least mid-January 2001, Nacchio and Woodruff, knew that Qwest was already
significantly behind in meeting revenue targets and various business units were
predicting target misses. They knew that to meet the revenue targets, Qwest would
have to again increase its one-time sales of IRUs and equipment. Yet, Nacchio and
revenue, even though analysts were beginning to question Qwest’s purported data and
Internet services growth. For example, in a late January 2001 earnings call Nacchio
responded to a specific question about how revenues were derived with a lengthy
answer that never once mentioned one-time IRU and equipment sales. A senior Qwest
74) Pressure by Nacchio and other senior executives on lower level executives and Qwest
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“[T]he most important thing we do is meet our numbers. It’s more important than
any individual product, it’s more important than any individual philosophy, it’s
more important than any individual cultural change we’re making. We stop
b) A Qwest executive noted that Qwest employees were afraid of the consequences of
standing up to Nacchio and disputing revenue targets because the consequence was
c) Nacchio told one executive concerning revenue targets, “you do this or I’ll find
determining bonuses the “extraordinary effort” of his unit in the second quarter
2001, not only in exceeding their target number by $50 million but also in
engineering an IRU deal that enabled another business unit to make its revenue
were below business plan expectations”, the executive said “So he was fully
75) On April 24, 2001, Nacchio issued Qwest’s first quarter 2001 earnings release and
again highlighted the company’s remarkable data and Internet services and overall
growth without mentioning the one-time, non-recurring revenue from IRU and
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76) Nacchio knew that Qwest had met its growth targets through continued dependence on
77) On April 29, 2001, Nacchio appeared on the Fox News Channel and, when questioned
economy, Nacchio stated fraudulently that, “[m]ost of our growth comes from
development of new products and, quite frankly, the taking of market share from the
78) By mid-May, 2001, most of the company’s business units had reported to Nacchio that
they anticipated target shortfalls that could only be made up with more IRU sales.
79) In early June 2001, Qwest’s outside auditor informed Qwest that the audit firm could
the IRU sales transactions. The auditor was told that Nacchio would inform investors
that IRU disclosure would be forthcoming before Qwest filed its 10-Q for the second
quarter.
80) In mid-July 2001, documents provided to Nacchio for Qwest’s second quarter earnings
call with analysts highlighted that Qwest had depended on IRU sales to meet gaps in its
increased IRUs . . .” and, “Over two thirds of the $2.5B full year over year revenue
growth is driven by data and Internet products. Over one-third of total growth and
almost three-fourths of data growth is related to IRUs.” Nacchio knew that, if this
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information was disclosed, analysts would likely be surprised at the magnitude of the
81) Nacchio, however, released earnings on July 24, 2001, without disclosing the amount
of IRU and equipment sales and Qwest’s dependence on those one-time sales to meet
public revenue, earnings, and growth projections. Instead, the release stated that
Qwest’s second quarter revenue, as Qwest had predicted, increased 12.2 percent and its
EBITDA increased 13.1 percent. Moreover, the release once again highlighted data
and Internet services revenue, stating that data and Internet grew 41 percent and
represented more than 27 percent of total revenue. The release was materially false.
82) After the July earnings release, a senior Qwest executive was barraged with e-mails
from stock analysts asking for disclosure of Qwest’s revenue breakdown and
questioning the credibility of Nacchio. One analyst stated that “the lack of
transparency is going to hurt you because investors don’t know how many cockroaches
you still have in your bag.” Another analyst wrote that “Joe [Nacchio] is developing a
83) On August 7, 2001, Nacchio told analysts at a conference that Qwest had generated
$540 million of revenue from certain IRU swaps in the first two quarters of 2001 alone.
This statement was materially misleading because, among other things, Nacchio failed
to inform the analysts that, in total, Qwest had actually booked approximately $888
84) On August 7, 2001, Qwest filed an 8-K with the SEC that included the same
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85) Qwest for the first time disclosed IRU revenue amounts in its 10-Q for the second
quarter of 2001, filed in mid-August 2001, shortly after the August 7, 2001 discussion
with analysts.
86) Nacchio attempted to conceal the importance of this information concerning IRUs by
delaying further disclosures, including that Qwest was lowering its publicly announced
financial targets.
87) Qwest first disclosed revenue amounts from its one-time equipment sales in a
88) After these disclosures, the price of Qwest’s stock declined steeply.
89) Qwest’s internal revenue targets were set on a top down basis. Nacchio and Woodruff
set targets based on the numbers necessary for Qwest to meet public growth
predictions. Nacchio and Woodruff determined the targets to be met by the various
business units and informed the business units of those targets. From 1999 through
August 2001 it became increasingly difficult for various business units to meet the
revenue targets set for them. When that happened, Nacchio and Woodruff relied on
Mohebbi to fill the gap between current revenues and targets with one-time revenue
from IRUs.
90) Nacchio exerted extreme pressure on subordinate executives who managed the
business units responsible for IRU sales to meet the targets set for them and to make up
shortfalls in targets set for other business units. In turn, the business unit executives
exerted extraordinary pressure on their managers and employees to meet or exceed the
revenue targets and fill the gaps at all costs. For example, Qwest ensured that company
and business unit targets were met by paying bonuses to management and employees
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for periods when they achieved the targeted revenue and threatening consequences if
91) Quarter after quarter Nacchio and Woodruff learned that Qwest’s growth and revenue
revenue as had been publicly announced. Rather than admitting that targets would not
be met or disclosing that revenue and growth targets were not being met through sales
specifically IRU and equipment sales, to fill the gap and meet the revenue targets.
92) Each quarter, prior to releasing Qwest’s financial results to the investing public,
breakdowns of revenue from IRU and equipment sales, and detailed breakdowns of
Additionally, Nacchio and Woodruff met with executives operating Qwest’s business
units at the end of every quarter to review Qwest’s financial performance. As a result,
Nacchio and Woodruff knew the magnitude of Qwest’s revenues from IRU and
Nacchio knew that Qwest needed to stop relying on “accounting tricks” to make it
93) Nacchio and Woodruff knew that Qwest's books and records wrongly included
revenue from one-time IRU and equipment sales in its recurring services revenues.
Nacchio and Woodruff knew that because Qwest’s books and records improperly
included revenue from one-time IRU and equipment sales in its recurring services
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revenues, Qwest’s books and records were materially inaccurate. Nacchio and
Woodruff knew of Qwest’s one-time IRU and equipment sales and approved the
94) At the end of each quarter, Qwest released its financial results in earnings releases and
SEC 8-K filings and later in SEC 10-Q and 10-K filings. Additionally, Nacchio,
Woodruff, and other Qwest executives routinely participated every quarter in calls
performance in detail. Nacchio and Woodruff controlled the earnings release process
and determined what information to release to the investing public. Nacchio and
Woodruff reviewed and approved of all Qwest’s public filings. Despite these facts,
during the relevant time periods, Nacchio and Woodruff represented to the public that
Qwest had met its revenue and growth targets using recurring services revenue, when
in fact, it had used one-time revenue from IRU and equipment sales to meet those
targets.
95) Analysts and investors frequently asked about the nature of Qwest’s revenue, but
disclosing the source and nature of Qwest’s revenue. Nacchio rebuffed those
suggestions.
96) Nacchio had several discussions with others at Qwest concerning the effect disclosure
of the one-time revenue would have on Qwest’s stock price. Although he was told that
investors needed the information to make informed decisions about whether to buy or
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97) Mohebbi directed and managed the business units which sold most of Qwest’s lit
capacity IRUs. Mohebbi was aware of the magnitude of IRUs sold by Qwest, and the
controlled Qwest’s capital expenditure budget for IRU transactions, and was
responsible for all purchases of lit capacity in swap transactions between 1999 and
2001.
98) Mohebbi was familiar with Qwest’s financial statements, public filings, earnings
releases and analyst calls. Mohebbi participated in certain analyst calls and conference
presentations. As a result Mohebbi knew that the use of one-time IRUs to meet
Qwest’s revenue and growth targets was not disclosed, but rather, was being hidden
and misrepresented. Mohebbi knew that Nacchio and Woodruff represented to the
public that Qwest had met its revenue and growth targets using recurring services
revenue, when in fact, it had used one-time revenue from IRU and equipment sales to
99) Mohebbi recognized Qwest’s reliance on IRU sales to meet revenue targets early on,
and stated in a July 21, 1999 e-mail that “[our] revenues are way too flat and we can’t
100) The executive who negotiated and executed most of Qwest’s lit capacity IRU
transactions from 1999 through third quarter 2001 reported directly to Mohebbi and
101) In a June 2001 e-mail Mohebbi praised one of his direct reports as “the guy who made
[the merger with US West] happen” because of his closing of IRU deals to meet
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revenue projections. Mohebbi bragged that if his business unit had not “pulled the
quarters” that it did in 1999, “there would not have been a [merger with US West] ….”
102) People reporting to Mohebbi frequently complained about having to fill Qwest’s
103) In mid-May 2001, Mohebbi was advised that IRU sales were becoming increasingly
difficult to generate and that as a result “the quarter is in significant jeopardy.” At the
same time, Mohebbi sent an e-mail stating, “Business is in bad shape . . . need a ton of
104) Despite his knowledge that Nacchio and Woodruff were hiding Qwest’s reliance on
IRUs to fuel its growth, Mohebbi continued to substantially assist the fraud by
disclosure concerning IRU transactions from Qwest’s 1999 10-K annual report filed
106) As the director and senior director of financial reporting for Qwest, Kozlowski was
responsible for, among other things, drafting Qwest’s financial statements and Forms
10-K and 10-Q. Kozlowski was also responsible for ensuring that Qwest’s financial
statements and public filings accurately disclosed information concerning Qwest’s IRU
sales and swap transactions. Nevertheless, he failed to ensure that the necessary
disclosures were included in Qwest’s public filings from 1999 through September
2000.
107) As the director of financial reporting for Qwest, Noyes was responsible for ensuring
that Qwest’s financial statements and public filings accurately disclosed information
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concerning Qwest’s IRU sales and swap transactions. Noyes also failed to ensure that
the necessary disclosures were included in Qwest’s public filings from 1999 through
September 2000.
108) As part of the overall fraudulent scheme to show revenue and earnings growth every
owned subsidiary, Qwest Dex, Inc. and failed to disclose that they were doing so.
109) Dex published telephone directories once every twelve months. Qwest recognized all
revenue from a Dex directory at the time it began delivering that directory to the
public.
110) In August 2000, executives at Dex informed Nacchio and Woodruff that Dex would
meet its 2000 EBITDA target, but would not meet its 2000 revenue target. The Dex
executives presented them with the option of making up the revenue shortfall by
publishing Dex’s Colorado Springs, Colorado directory in December 2000 rather than
January 2001 as scheduled, thereby allowing Qwest to recognize revenue from that
111) While presenting that option, one Dex executive expressed his concern that such a
schedule change would reduce 2001 revenue and earnings and that, in his view, Qwest
probably would be required to disclose the change to the public. The Dex executive
made it clear to Nacchio and Woodruff that he did not favor the schedule change.
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112) Even though Nacchio required the accelerated recognition of $28 million of revenue in
2000, he told the Dex executives that their 2001 revenue targets would remain
unchanged.
113) By recognizing revenue from the Colorado Springs directory in 2000, Qwest generated
$28 million in additional revenue and $18 million in additional EBITDA for the year.
114) Qwest’s 2000 10-K annual report filed with the SEC stated that Dex’s 2000 revenue
increased by almost $100 million due in part to “an increase in the number of
apprise investors that Dex generated more than one-quarter of the revenue increase by
moving up the publication of the Colorado Springs from 2001 to 2000, or that the
schedule change could produce a commensurate decline in Dex revenue for the first
quarter of 2001.
115) Nacchio signed the 2000 10-K, and Woodruff reviewed the 10-K. Nacchio and
A. Summary
116) In order to fraudulently record IRU sales to meet revenue targets, Mohebbi entered
into an undisclosed side agreement and Mohebbi and Noyes participated in falsifying
documents to hide material facts regarding the sales from Qwest’s internal accountants
and outside auditors. Mohebbi and Noyes knew that their actions caused improperly
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117) In order for revenue from IRU sales transactions to be immediately recognized, the
applicable accounting rules require that the earnings process must be complete,
including that assets sold must remain fixed and unchanged. An agreement to allow
IRU purchasers the ability to port or exchange dark fiber or lit capacity prevents the
asset from being fixed and unchanged, and makes immediate recognition of the
118) In addition, the accounting rules require that revenue from transactions be recognized
119) Mohebbi and Noyes knew the accounting rules for immediate revenue recognition
from IRUs. Mohebbi and Noyes also knew that porting prohibited immediate revenue
recognition on IRU sales. In addition, Mohebbi and Noyes knew that revenue from
transactions should be recorded and reported in the quarter in which the transaction
was completed.
120) Mohebbi knew that many customers would only purchase IRUs if portability was part
of the deal. Mohebbi knew that Qwest had a pattern and practice of allowing
customers to port IRUs, and that Qwest provided assurances that customers could port
IRUs in order to close IRU transactions. Mohebbi knew that porting of IRUs was
promised portability to IRU purchasers, but did not disclose these agreements to
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122) In the fourth quarter of 2000, Qwest sold an IRU to Cable & Wireless for $109 million.
It recognized $108 million in immediate revenue. Qwest did not have the lit capacity
that Cable & Wireless actually wanted to buy at the time. Therefore, Mohebbi
provided Cable & Wireless with a written side agreement promising that Cable &
Wireless could exchange the capacity later. On December 29, 2000, Mohebbi sent the
side agreement to Cable & Wireless in an e-mail that guaranteed “a full and fair trade”
of the lit capacity Cable & Wireless bought for different lit capacity at a later date.
Mohebbi did not inform Qwest’s internal accountants or outside auditors of this side
deal. In October 2001, when confronted about the e-mail promising porting, Mohebbi
denied knowledge of the e-mail and attempted to delete it from his computer.
123) In the rush to complete enough IRU transactions by quarter close to make Qwest’s
revenue targets, contracts were backdated for the explicit purpose of falsely making it
Mohebbi and Noyes did not inform Qwest’s internal accountants or outside auditors of
this backdating and the revenue was recognized in Qwest’s financial statements.
a) Qwest entered into a swap transaction with Cable & Wireless recorded in the first
quarter 2001, and recognized $69.8 million in immediate revenue. The IRU sale
contract was not executed until April 12, 2001. Mohebbi knew that the transaction
with Cable & Wireless was not signed in the first quarter. In fact, on April 1, 2001,
two Qwest executives each called Mohebbi at home to inform him that the IRU
b) In the third quarter 2001, Qwest recognized $85.5 million of revenue from the sale
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had a false signature date of September 30, 2001, but in fact were not completed by
the parties until October 1, 2001, after the close of the quarter.
A. Summary
124) Starting in at least June 1999, Qwest’s IRU revenue recognition failed to meet several
GAAP rules. Further, there were material weaknesses in Qwest’s internal controls
relating to IRU accounting which led to the improper revenue recognition. At relevant
times, Woodruff, Kozlowski, and Noyes were responsible for Qwest’s revenue
recognition from IRU transactions. Woodruff, Kozlowski, and Noyes each failed to
ensure that Qwest properly recognized revenue in IRU transactions. Moreover, many
IRU sales were swap transactions and Woodruff, Kozlowski, and Noyes failed to
ensure that Qwest’s revenue recognition on those transactions was proper. Qwest used
improperly recognized revenue from IRU sales to meet its revenue and growth targets.
125) Woodruff, as CFO, was responsible for all of Qwest’s accounting. It was his duty to
ensure that Qwest properly accounted for all revenue, including IRU transactions, and
continued throughout the time he was CFO. All of Qwest’s publicly released financial
statements improperly included revenue from IRU transactions during the period he
was CFO. Woodruff was responsible for these fraudulent financial statements
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revenue recognition on virtually all of Qwest’s IRU transactions until September 2000.
assurance that the accounting for Qwest’s IRU transactions was proper. As a result,
there were material weaknesses in internal controls over accounting for IRUs.
policies and procedures to provide reasonable assurance that the accounting for
Qwest’s IRU transactions was proper. As a result, there were material weaknesses in
internal controls over accounting for IRUs. Also, Noyes specifically approved and
authorized revenue recognition on many IRU transactions from April 1999 until
September 2000.
128) The federal securities laws require companies to devise and maintain a system of
assured that Qwest properly recognized revenue from its IRU sales under GAAP.
129) From June 1999 through 2001, due to material weaknesses in internal controls, Qwest
improperly recognized revenue from the IRU sales listed on Exhibits A, B, and C in
violation of GAAP. GAAP sets forth a number of requirements that must be met in
order to recognize revenue immediately from an IRU sale transaction. During the
relevant time, Qwest failed to meet the following GAAP requirements for IRU sales:
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a) GAAP requires that before revenue can be immediately recognized from IRU sales,
the earnings process must be complete. As part of the earning process, the assets
sold must be specifically identified and remain fixed and unchanged. Qwest failed
to meet this requirement for many IRU sales because it agreed to give IRU
purchasers the ability to port or exchange the dark fiber or lit capacity they
purchased for different fiber or capacity at a later date. For example, Qwest gave
ICG, Cable & Wireless, and Verio the ability or right to port IRU transactions.
Qwest also failed to meet this requirement for many IRU sales because it groomed
or moved the lit capacity it sold in order to promote network efficiency or address
network changes. Porting and grooming violate GAAP because the assets sold do
b) GAAP requires that for revenue to be immediately recognized from IRU sales, the
seller needs firm evidence that it will be able to transfer ownership of the fiber sold
to the buyer and that all rights of ownership transfer to the buyer. For many IRU
IRU sales, revenue must be allocated to the separate IRU components based on
relative fair value. Qwest failed to meet this requirement. In addition, Qwest
basis, that Qwest could recognize revenue immediately from IRU sales.
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131) In late 1999, Qwest’s outside auditor advised Woodruff to ask the SEC about whether
132) By at least early 2000, Kozlowski and Noyes learned of Qwest’s practice of porting,
which they knew prohibited immediate revenue recognition, because the asset would
not be fixed and remain unchanged and the earning process would not be complete.
For example:
a) In February 2000, Kozlowski and Noyes received an e-mail alerting them that a
Qwest executive committed to port an IRU purchased by ICG. The e-mail referred
to a $140 million fourth quarter 1999 IRU sale where Qwest committed to buy back
$104 million of fiber sold and re-sell to the customer an additional $162 million.
b) In March 2000, Kozlowski and Noyes were consulted about capacity that Cable &
Wireless was buying but intended to trade in for different capacity the following
quarter.
c) In May 2000, Noyes was consulted about how to handle capacity that had been sold
to Primus in the previous quarter, apparently “for the purpose of trading it in” in the
second quarter of 2000. Noyes expressed concern with the amount of porting that
was occurring. It appeared that Qwest was selling customers what was available to
close deals and letting them know that they could trade in their routes when what
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d) In about July 2000, Noyes knew that Qwest gave Cable & Wireless a unilateral right
to port or upgrade capacity regarding an IRU transaction that was executed in the
e) From September 2001 through November 2001, Noyes received several e-mails
alerting him that in past IRU sales, Qwest had told customers they would be allowed
to port.
133) Despite knowledge of porting, Kozlowski and Noyes failed to devise and implement
policies or procedures that ensured that revenue recognition from IRU sales complied
with GAAP.
134) Kozlowski and Noyes knew of Qwest’s practice of grooming. Despite this knowledge,
they failed to devise and implement policies or procedures that ensured that revenue
135) On March 31, 2000, Qwest sold a $9.6 million IRU to Cable & Wireless in which
Qwest included a contract clause preventing the assignment, sale, or transfer without
Qwest’s consent. Notwithstanding this contingency that called into question the
GAAP requirement that Qwest be able to transfer ownership, Kozlowski and Noyes
approved this transaction for immediate revenue recognition. Additional IRU sales to
Cable & Wireless in later quarters totaling $291 million were subject to the same
contingency.
136) Over time, Qwest found it increasingly difficult to sell IRUs to customers unless, at the
same time, Qwest purchased lit capacity or dark fiber from those same customers in
swap transactions. Qwest started using IRU swaps in 1999, and during 2000 and 2001,
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the frequency, dollar amount, and number of swap transactions grew as Qwest's
137) Qwest found IRU swaps especially attractive because of their effect on the company’s
sale, but did not recognize any significant expense from its purchases immediately,
138) During the relevant time periods, Woodruff, Kozlowski, and Noyes improperly
listed on Exhibits A, B and C. This was fraudulent and material. It also violated the
requirements of GAAP.
139) Immediate revenue recognition on Qwest’s IRU swap transactions was improper for
the same reasons that immediate revenue recognition on non-swap IRU sales was
a) GAAP requires that the assets exchanged in a swap transaction must be dissimilar.
Qwest did not have a reasonable basis for determining that the assets exchanged in
b) GAAP requires that there must be adequate evidence of the fair values of the assets
exchanged in the swap transaction. Qwest did not document the basis for
determining the fair values of the assets being exchanged in swap transactions.
140) Qwest improperly recognized revenue from undisclosed, material swap transactions
during 1999 of $312 million, $506 million in 2000, and $674 million in 2001. Those
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141) Woodruff, Kozlowski, and Noyes failed to devise and implement a system of internal
142) Nacchio and Woodruff, while orchestrating the fraudulent scheme as detailed above in
this complaint, sold Qwest stock while they were in possession of, and based on
143) From November, 1999 through April, 2001, Woodruff made profits of approximately
$36.8 million from the sale of Qwest stock. During that entire period he was aware
that while he and others at Qwest were claiming that Qwest was meeting revenue and
growth targets with recurring services revenue, in fact, he and others at Qwest were
hiding and not disclosing that Qwest was meeting those targets with one-time revenue,
144) From July, 1999 through May, 2001, Nacchio made profits of about $176.5 million
from the sale of Qwest stock. During that entire period he was aware that while he and
others at Qwest were claiming that Qwest was meeting revenue and growth targets
with recurring services revenue, in fact, he and others at Qwest were hiding and not
disclosing that Qwest was meeting those targets with one-time revenue, which was
145) During April through May 2001, Nacchio made profits of about $52 million from the
sale of Qwest stock. During that entire period, while Nacchio assured investors that
Qwest was on track to meet its publicly-stated financial targets, he was aware that
Qwest’s revenue from recurring sources had not increased sufficiently during the first
quarter of 2001 in order for Qwest to meet its targets and that Qwest’s revenue from
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one-time sources would not be enough to fill the gap between Qwest’s actual
147) Defendants Nacchio, Woodruff, Kozlowski, Noyes, and Mohebbi, directly and
indirectly, with scienter, in the offer or sale of Qwest securities, by use of the means or
148) Defendants Nacchio, Woodruff, Kozlowski, Noyes, and Mohebbi violated and unless
restrained and enjoined will in the future violate Securities Act Section 17(a)(1).
150) Defendants Nacchio, Woodruff, Kozlowski, Noyes, and Mohebbi, directly and
indirectly, in the offer or sale of Qwest securities, by use of the means or instruments
omissions to state material facts necessary in order to make the statements made, in
light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; or engaged in
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151) Defendants Nacchio, Woodruff, Kozlowski, Noyes, and Mohebbi violated and unless
restrained and enjoined will in the future violate Securities Act Section 17(a)(2) and
(3).
indirectly, with scienter, in connection with the purchase or sale of securities, by the
untrue statements of material fact or omitted to state material facts necessary in order to
make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which they were made,
would operate as a fraud or deceit upon any person; in violation of Exchange Act
154) Defendants Nacchio, Woodruff, Kozlowski, Noyes, and Mohebbi violated and unless
restrained and enjoined will in the future violate Exchange Act Section 10(b) and Rule
10b-5.
155) Alternatively, by reason of the conduct alleged in paragraphs 1 through 142, Qwest
violated Exchange Act Section 10(b) and Rule 10b-5 thereunder, and Mohebbi aided
violations. Unless restrained and enjoined, Mohebbi will in the future aid and abet
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158) Defendants Nacchio, Woodruff, Kozlowski, Noyes, and Mohebbi, violated, and
unless restrained and enjoined will in the future violate Section 13(b)(5) of the
160) Defendants Nacchio, Woodruff, and Mohebbi, made materially false or misleading
statements, or omitted to state material facts necessary in order to make the statements
made, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, to
161) By reason of the foregoing, defendants Nacchio, Woodruff, and Mohebbi violated,
and unless restrained and enjoined will in the future violate Exchange Act Rule 13b2-2.
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163) Defendants Nacchio, Woodruff, Kozlowski, Noyes, and Mohebbi aided and abetted
Qwest, in that they provided knowing and substantial assistance to Qwest, which as an
materially misleading annual and quarterly reports with the SEC and failed to file with
the SEC, in accordance with rules and regulations the SEC has prescribed, information
and documents required by the SEC to keep current information and documents
of the Exchange Act and annual reports and quarterly reports as the SEC has prescribed
in violation of Exchange Act Section 13(a) and Rules 12b-20, 13a-1, 13a-11, and 13a-
13 thereunder.
164) Unless restrained and enjoined, Defendants Nacchio, Woodruff, Kozlowski, Noyes,
and Mohebbi will in the future aid and abet violations of Exchange Act Section 13(a)
166) Defendants Nacchio, Woodruff, Kozlowski, Noyes, and Mohebbi aided and abetted
Qwest, in that they provided knowing and substantial assistance to Qwest, which failed
to make and keep books, records, and accounts, which, in reasonable detail, accurately
and fairly reflected the company’s transactions and dispositions of its assets and failed
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167) By reason of the foregoing, Qwest violated Exchange Act Section 13(b)(2), and
Defendants Nacchio, Woodruff, Kozlowski, Noyes, and Mohebbi aided and abetted
Kozlowski, Noyes, and Mohebbi will in the future aid and abet violations of Section
2) Enter an Injunction, in a form consistent with Rule 65(d) of the Federal Rules of Civil
Kozlowski, Noyes, and Mohebbi from violating, directly or indirectly, or aiding and
all ill-gotten gains in the form of any benefits of any kind derived from the illegal
conduct alleged in this Complaint, including, but not limited to, salary, bonuses,
proceeds from stock sales, the value of stock they received, plus pre-judgment
interest;
4) Order defendants Nacchio, Woodruff, Kozlowski, Noyes, and Mohebbi to pay civil
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[15 U.S.C. § 77t(d)] and Exchange Act Sections 21(d)(3) as to all defendants, and
also 21A [15 U.S.C. §§ 78u(d)(3), and 78(u)(A)] only with respect to Nacchio and
JURY DEMAND
s/ Polly Atkinson
Polly A. Atkinson
Thomas J. Krysa
Christopher P. Friedman
Barbara T. Wells
Patricia E. Foley
Attorneys for Plaintiff
Securities and Exchange Commission
1801 California Street, Suite 1500
Denver, CO 80202
Switchboard 303.844.1000
Fax 303.844.1068
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Certificate of Service
I hereby certify that on July 15, 2008, I electronically filed the foregoing with the Clerk of
the Court using the CM/ECF system which will send notification of such filing to the
following e-mail addresses:
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s/ Polly Atkinson
Polly Atkinson
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EXHIBIT A
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EXHIBIT B
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EXHIBIT C
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59