More guilty pleas for WorldCom

Two more WorldCom execs have pleaded guilty to fraud in the ongoing investigation into the company's accountancy scandal. Troy Normand, director of legal entity accounting, and Betty Vinson, the former director of management reporting, both pleaded guilty to securities fraud Thursday. The admissions bring to four the number of former employees at the bankrupt telecom company who have pleaded guilty.

Normand and Vinson join colleagues Buford Yates, former director of general accounting, and David Myers, former WorldCom controller, who both pleaded guilty to their parts in the fraud in the last month. The charges facing the four carry maximum sentences totaling 15 years, with potential additional fines of around $1million. By pleading guilty and helping with the ongoing inquiry, it is likely the four could greatly reduce these punishments.

Silicon.com's Will Sturgeon reported from London.