Microsoft Disciplines Employees Over Sales

Microsoft Corp. said it has taken disciplinary action against employees for buying Microsoft software at cost from the company and reselling it for a profit.

A Microsoft spokeswoman declined to comment on the number of workers or the action taken. Microsoft employees can buy software at reduced prices for personal use from a company store and procure programs for business use through an internal system.

The crackdown comes after a midlevel executive in the company’s .Net group was accused of ordering and reselling $9 million of Microsoft software in December. Daniel Feussner is free on bond and is facing charges of mail, computer and wire fraud.