Drug, Backdating Charges for Ex-Broadcom Chief

Broadcom co-founder Henry T. Nicholas III was indicted Thursday in California on drug charges, including allegations that he spiked the drinks of other executives with ecstasy, as well as with improperly backdating stock options.

It may be the strangest twist yet in the widespread investigations into options backdating, as well as in the life of Mr. Nicholas, a flamboyant executive who grew rich by smartly timing the tech boom.

Known as Darth Vader by some of his rivals, Mr. Nicholas was accused not only of securities fraud, but of distributing illegal drugs. In one incident described in the indictment, Mr. Nicholas and guests are said to have smoked so much marijuana on a private plane flight that the pilot was required to don an oxygen mask.

Mr. Nicholas's lawyer said he will "cont est these charges vigorously."