Enron Scandal

Escándalo Enron was a catastrophic corporate scandal that shook the global financial community in the early 2000s. It began with the revelation that Enron Corporation, an American energy company, had concealed billions of dollars in debt and inflated its financial statements to appear more profitable than it actually was. This deceitful practice, known as accounting fraud, allowed Enron to manipulate its stock price and deceive investors, employees, and other stakeholders. The scandal unfolded in 2001, when Enron filed for bankruptcy, wiping out the life savings of thousands of employees and causing widespread financial devastation. The subsequent investigation revealed a complex web of deceit, corruption, and greed that reached the highest echelons of the company. Top executives, including CEO Jeffrey Skilling and CFO Andrew Fastow, were charged with fraud, conspiracy, and other crimes. The Enron scandal led to significant changes in corporate governance, accounting regulations, and whistleblower protection laws, serving as a cautionary tale about the dangers of unchecked corporate power and the importance of transparency and accountability.