Thomas Early, the finance director of Ogilvy & Mather who resigned on Wednesday, and Shona Seifert, who is now president of TBWA\Chiat\Day New York, have both pleaded not guilty to the charges. Reports say that Ogilvy will be paying part of their legal fees but do not say how much or for how long the pair would be supported. The agency says that it is a typical policy for corporations with employees who face charges relating to workplace incidents.
The charges say that staff at Ogilvy working on the account were told to alter timesheets and to note that they had spent a certain percentage of their time working on the account, regardless of whether or not they had. The pair are also charged with attempting to cover up the fraud. If found guilty, their punishment could include a prison sentence and hefty fines.
Ogilvy & Mather was appointed to the Office of National Drug Control Policy account in 1998, creating acclaimed ads that lead to its reappointment in 2002. But the billings scandal, which first came to light in 2000, has dogged the WPP Group-owned agency, which paid the government $1.8m (拢1m) in settlement of a civil suit.
If you have an opinion on this or any other issue raised on Brand Republic, join the debate in the .