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KoKo

(84,711 posts) Sun May 12, 2013, 01:46 PM May 2013

So It Goes: Enron Perp Will Get Out of Jail (Almost) Free By Buying Himself Out [View all]

Former Enron CEO Jeffrey Skilling - who spearheaded an epic $40 billion fraud costing thousands of employees their jobs and pensions - but famously claimed, "We’re the good guys" - has reportedly cut a deal with prosecutors to get out of jail a decade early by paying his victims a bit to shut up already. Under the deal, arranged after the kind of complex legal maneuvering rich white men can indulge in, Skilling will stop suing everyone and pay his victims $40 million, or 0.1% of what Enron stole in the first place. In a relative universe, the six years he's served is more than any of the current perps who trashed the economy. Then again, if he was a black guy who held up the 7-11, he'd still be on latrine duty.

-Abby Zimet
http://www.commondreams.org/further/2013/05/09-5

87 replies

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So It Goes: Enron Perp Will Get Out of Jail (Almost) Free By Buying Himself Out [View all] KoKo May 2013 OP

May he be forced to spend hundreds on bodyguards. n/t dogknob May 2013 #1

And since he's one of "the good guys" Turbineguy May 2013 #2

Thieving fucker can afford 40 million payment, looks like. dixiegrrrrl May 2013 #3

Yeah, I'd be pretty damn sure the check cleared... KansDem May 2013 #5

There should be California Bureau of Investigation officers waiting outside of prison Mr. David May 2013 #37

I am surprised that the president didnt just pardon him outright. rhett o rick May 2013 #4

+1 forestpath May 2013 #6

Well, I think United States Secretary of Commerce is open Dragonfli May 2013 #8

He missed it by *that* much! kenny blankenship May 2013 #42

I know! He is an energy pro, how about energy secretary! Republicans will like that Dragonfli May 2013 #63

Why do you think the President had anything to do with this? Mr. Skilling msanthrope May 2013 #9

He bought his appeal abelenkpe May 2013 #12

Who, precisely, did he buy? nt msanthrope May 2013 #14

If he wasn't insanely well to do abelenkpe May 2013 #71

+1000 snappyturtle May 2013 #80

It's Obama's justice department, so it's on him. Demo_Chris May 2013 #20

What, precisely, is on him? His DOJ is obliged to follow the orders of the court. msanthrope May 2013 #21

SCOTUS can bite me. Mr. David May 2013 #39

Simple: instead of a closed door "negotiation" knocking ten years off the sentence... Demo_Chris May 2013 #44

Take what, precisely, back to court? nt msanthrope May 2013 #58

I am sure he will be a model citizen when he gets out Rex May 2013 #69

So, you're whining that Obama's DOJ is following geek tragedy May 2013 #22

Ah the ole "their hands are tied" argument. Bullcrap. They have options and the plea deal stinks. rhett o rick May 2013 #54

The government seized all of his assets. geek tragedy May 2013 #55

I think it was 10 years, but might me mistaken. And the government will have to rhett o rick May 2013 #57

No. Virtually all of it--including his house--will be liquidated to pay his lawyers and geek tragedy May 2013 #67

Do you have a link? nm rhett o rick May 2013 #68

From 2006: geek tragedy May 2013 #70

Thank you. I hope he has to work at McDonalds to survive going forward. He is the scum of the earth. rhett o rick May 2013 #72

Ditto. Nt geek tragedy May 2013 #74

Ah yes the 1% prevails and everything is in order. This man stole the life savings from millions rhett o rick May 2013 #25

This was a 9-0 SCOTUS. Are you saying the entire SCOTUS is corrupt? msanthrope May 2013 #31

It's funny how we can rationalize every step in the process to justify special treatment that the rhett o rick May 2013 #34

Siegelman benfitted from the Skilling ruling, too. It resulted in 2 charges against him msanthrope May 2013 #61

Yes, I am sure the Gov is thankful. nm rhett o rick May 2013 #65

The SCOTUS is dead wrong on this one. Mr. David May 2013 #40

I agree. The Obama DoJ should get back to busting heads of medical marijuana users. rhett o rick May 2013 #49

So the new trial needs to be ordered. Mr. David May 2013 #38

Can you point to a sentencing guideline that would provide for that? nt msanthrope May 2013 #59

Yes. It's called my finger. Mr. David May 2013 #62

Lol. secondvariety May 2013 #82

because he's their buddy grahamhgreen May 2013 #73

Maybe because they belong to the same club. nm rhett o rick May 2013 #85

+1. nt OnyxCollie May 2013 #81

(In)Justice has a price... awoke_in_2003 May 2013 #7

since when are criminals able to make deals on their sentences? & why does this asshole still have HiPointDem May 2013 #10

Because that criminal has so much money Autumn May 2013 #11

Because there are laws and there are men, and some men are more equal than others Dragonfli May 2013 #13

When the federal judge who did the original sentencing makes a mistake in the calculation of the msanthrope May 2013 #15

And if he was black and robbed a liquor store, there would be no vagueness in the sentencing. rhett o rick May 2013 #27

If he had robbed a liquor store, he wouldn't be in the federal system. And there wasn't msanthrope May 2013 #32

The point is that he is wealthy and gets off. It's personal to me. nm rhett o rick May 2013 #33

Well, he's doing 15 years in the fed pen. That's not 'getting off' but msanthrope May 2013 #60

I am not as disappointed with the amount of time he has to spend as with the rhett o rick May 2013 #66

If they screwed up the sentencing guidelines, for Skillings, it's the case of NOT ENOUGH YEARS Mr. David May 2013 #41

I asked this a while ago about Michael Milken, who emerged from prison RICHER than he was going in. HughBeaumont May 2013 #76

some things never change HiPointDem May 2013 #86

Disgusting and utterly predictable for America Inc. abq e streeter May 2013 #16

Equal Ju$tice Under the Law...just bring your checkbooks. Tierra_y_Libertad May 2013 #17

Just another form of legalized sorefeet May 2013 #18

Wow. So he so simply called up the judge from prison one day, said "dude! How about this idea?" Nye Bevan May 2013 #19

Appeals court ruled his original sentence was too harsh. geek tragedy May 2013 #23

So a totally misleading and disingenuous OP, in other words. Nye Bevan May 2013 #24

Apparently hiring defense lawyers is bribery. nt geek tragedy May 2013 #26

Your rationalization in favor of this bastard is strange. He ruined the lives of thousands if not rhett o rick May 2013 #28

Skilling is scum. But due process is for the worst scum just geek tragedy May 2013 #46

I am all for due process but in the case of the 1% it's my feeling they get way more than rhett o rick May 2013 #48

Of course those with money fare better in the courts than do geek tragedy May 2013 #51

His wealth pretty much "immunizes" him. My close friend lost his complete retirement and rhett o rick May 2013 #52

Class action lawsuits, state of California etc. geek tragedy May 2013 #53

Sure, class action law suits. The new scam. The lawyers settle for a fraction and then keep 30% rhett o rick May 2013 #56

I disagree with the appeals court. Mr. David May 2013 #43

Federal sentencing guidelines are not very flexible. geek tragedy May 2013 #47

And the $40 mil is what percent of his net worth? Ilsa May 2013 #29

Don't forget Milkin paid about .01% of what he stole and spent 18 months in a federal Egalitarian Thug May 2013 #45

And Ken Lay played dead and moved to Dubai. nm rhett o rick May 2013 #50

Here's hoping the fucker looks over his shoulder from now on. DinahMoeHum May 2013 #30

And here's hoping customerserviceguy May 2013 #64

No justice for financial terrorists. Initech May 2013 #35

California can take him to Q. Easily. Mr. David May 2013 #36

Well, the smart pols would use this mightily against the GOP from now until 2016... kelliekat44 May 2013 #75

Make Him Pay the Fine Keep Him in Jail erpowers May 2013 #77

See: Milken, Michael. HughBeaumont May 2013 #78

Money trumps peace...... midnight May 2013 #79

I can't figure sulphurdunn May 2013 #83

i'm hoping some form of vigilante justice takes place.. frylock May 2013 #84

Here we go again....... Rain Mcloud May 2013 #87