Iconix Ex-CE0 Cole Charged With Accounting Fraud (2)

The founder of apparel licenser Iconix Brand Group, which last month settled a high-profile dispute with the rapper Jay-Z, was charged by federal prosecutors with inflating the company’s revenue and earnings.

Neil Cole, 62, Iconix’s founder and former chief executive officer, was named in an indictment made public Thursday in Manhattan federal court. Trading in Iconix was halted. Prosecutors also disclosed that Seth Horowitz, 43, the ex-chief operating officer, pleaded guilty to related charges Dec. 2 and agreed to cooperate with the government.

According to prosecutors, Cole and Horowitz inflated the company’s revenue and earnings per ...