By Michael Cohn

Apple CEO Steve Jobs has been questioned by the United States Department of Justice and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission in connection with the backdating of stock options he received, according to reports Tuesday.

The questioning took place last week in San Francisco, according to Bloomberg News and the San Francisco Chronicle, among other media outlets, citing unidentified legal sources connected with the investigation.

Apple is just one of about 150 companies that have admitted problems with the backdating of stock options to benefit executives. Many of the companies have needed to restate their past financial statements to adjust for the manipulated timing of the options. In some cases high-ranking executives have resigned and been prosecuted after the practice has been uncovered.

In December, Apple said it had completed a review of its past stock options granted between 1997 and 2002 and took an $84-million charge, but the board reiterated its confidence in Mr. Jobs (see Apple Restates, Clears Jobs).

“The special committee, its independent counsel, and forensic accountants have performed an exhaustive investigation of Apple’s stock option granting practices,” said Apple board members Al Gore, chair of the special committee, and Jerome York, chair of Apple’s audit and finance committee, in a joint statement released in late December.

“The board of directors is confident that the company has corrected the problems that led to the restatement, and it has complete confidence in Steve Jobs and the senior management team,” the statement added.

The company said there had been no problems with options since 2002. Last June, Apple said Mr. Jobs had not gained financially from the options, which had been canceled (see Apple Has an Option Problem).

Questions Linger

But despite the exoneration, questions have continued to dog Mr. Jobs. Federal investigators apparently have not been satisfied with the Apple board committee’s internal probe.

Reports have also emerged that records of a meeting to approve Mr. Jobs’ options were faked and that the meeting never took place (see Report: False Docs on Steve Jobs’ Options).