Enron: The Collapse and Investigation

Sept. 26, 2006 -- Former Enron CFO Fastow Sentenced to Six Years in Prison
Former Enron chief financial officer Andrew Fastow, 44, was sentenced to six years in prison Tuesday, more than two years after he pleaded guilty to two counts of conspiracy for his involvement in the energy company's 2001 collapse.
July 6, 2006 -- Death of Kenneth Lay Leaves Questions Unanswered
Widely condemned for his role in the largest corporate bankruptcy in history, Enron founder Kenneth Lay, who died Wednesday, leaves behind many unanswered questions. Two experts discuss what may never be known.
Update: Convicted Enron Founder Kenneth Lay Dies at 64
May 25, 2006 -- Lay and Skilling Found Guilty of Fraud and Conspiracy
Jurors in the Houston trial of Enron founder Kenneth Lay and former CEO Jeffrey Skilling reached a verdict Thursday, the sixth day of deliberations, finding both defendants guilty of most conspiracy and fraud charges.
May 17, 2006 -- Jury Begins Deliberations in Enron Fraud Trial
Lawyers in the trial of former Enron executives finished their closing arguments Wednesday and now the jury began deliberations. Thomas Mulligan of the Los Angeles Times updates the trial.
May 2 , 2006 -- Founder Kenneth Finishes Testimony
Kenneth Lay, whose testimony has provided some of the most riveting moments of the 14-week-long trial, wrapped up six days of testimony Tuesday by comparing the company he founded and the people who worked there to family. Washington Post reporter Frank Ahrens updates the trial.
April 25, 2006 -- Founder Kenneth Lay Testifies in Enron Case
Facing six counts of fraud in connection with the 2001 collapse of the company he founded, Kenneth Lay was on the witness stand Tuesday for the second day. Washington Post reporter Frank Ahrens updates the trial.
April 17, 2006 -- During Cross-examination, Former Executive Officer Jeffrey Skilling Denies Wrongdoing
On the first day of cross-examination at his fraud and conspiracy trial in Houston, former Enron Corp. Chief Executive Jeffrey Skilling repeated his claim that he knew nothing of Enron's problems before its collapse. Bethany McLean of Fortune magazine updates the trial.
April 10 , 2006 -- Former Enron Official Testifies He Is 'Absolutely Innocent'
Former Enron Corp. Chief Executive Jeffrey Skilling took the witness stand for the first time Monday in the Enron criminal trial, saying he is innocent of more than two dozen conspiracy, fraud and insider trading charges.
March 9, 2006 -- Defense Blasts Fastow Enron Trial Testimony
Enron's former Chief Financial Officer Andrew Fastow acknowledged Thursday that he had no record of conversations that proved he and former executive Jeffrey Skilling made secret deals to hide losses and inflate earnings.
March 7, 2006 -- Fastow Testifies Against Former Enron Bosses
Enron Corp.'s former chief financial officer Andrew Fastow took the stand in Houston Tuesday to testify against his former bosses. New York Times reporter Kurt Eichenwald discusses the Enron trial and Fastow's role as key witness.
Dec. 28, 2005 -- Former Enron Executive Pleads Guilty
Richard Causey, Enron Corp.'s former executive vice president and chief accounting officer, pleaded guilty Wednesday to securities fraud. The New York Times' Kurt Eichenwald discusses what the deal may mean to the Enron case.
June 10, 2005 -- Citigroup Settles Enron Lawsuit for $2 Billion
Citigroup Inc., the nation's biggest financial institution, has agreed to pay $2 billion to investors in a class-action lawsuit accusing the company of helping Enron doctor financial statements and create off-the-books partnerships.
May 31, 2005 -- High Court Reverses Arthur Andersen Conviction
The Supreme Court on Tuesday overturned the conviction of now defunct accounting firm Arthur Andersen for destroying Enron Corp.-related documents because of flawed jury instructions.
July 8, 2004 -- Former Enron Chairman Kenneth Lay surrendered to the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Houston Thursday morning and pleaded not guilty to 11 federal criminal counts related to Enron's collapse in 2001. The indictment against Lay comes nearly three years after the government began its probe into the financial fraud that led to the collapse of the energy giant.
Feb. 19, 2004 -- Jeffrey Skilling, the former Enron Corp. chief executive who led the company as it veered toward collapse in a massive corporate scandal, was charged Thursday with fraud, insider trading and lying about the corporation's finances.
Jan. 14, 2004 -- Former Enron Corp. financial chief Andrew Fastow pleaded guilty Wednesday to two counts of conspiracy and agreed to cooperate with prosecutors who are targeting other top executives at the scandal-ridden firm. Jim Lehrer speaks with a reporter and a former U.S. attorney about the plea agreement. (1/14/04)
Sept. 17, 2003 — Update: Three former Merrill Lynch executives surrendered to federal authorities in Houston Wednesday to face criminal charges involving a 1999 transaction that enabled Enron Corp. to deceive its investors and artificially inflate its earnings reports.
Sept. 10, 2003 — Update: Former Enron Corp. treasurer Ben Glisan on Wednesday pleaded guilty to a federal conspiracy charge, becoming the first executive incarcerated for participating in an accounting scheme that prompted the company's sudden collapse.
July 28, 2003 — Update: U.S. authorities on Monday said J.P. Morgan Chase Co. and Citigroup Inc. agreed to pay a total of $300 million to settle allegations they helped Enron Corp. hide financial problems from its investors.
July 11, 2003 — Update: Enron Corp. filed a reorganization plan that would allow the company to emerge from bankruptcy, but pay the majority of creditors only a small fraction of what they are owed.
November 6, 2002 — Update: Former Enron executive Andrew Fastow pleaded not guilty Wednesday to a 78-count federal indictment alleging he had organized complicated financial deals for his personal gain and artificially inflated company profits. Fastow, 40, was indicted by a federal grand jury in Houston on Oct. 31 and could face an 800-year prison sentence if convicted on all charges.
October 2, 2002 — Update: Federal prosecutors file fraud, money laundering and conspiracy charges against former Enron financial chief Andrew Fastow in connection with the billion-dollar collapse of the energy giant last year.
August 21, 2002 — Experts discuss the guilty plea of former Enron official Michael Kopper and the future of the government's case.
June 30, 2002 — Sen. Carl Levin (D-Mich.) and Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), members of the Senate Governmental Affairs Committee, discuss today's hearings on the role of Merrill Lynch and other financial institutions in Enron's collapse.
June 17, 2002 — Experts discuss the verdict in the Arthur Andersen trial, and its significance for the government's upcoming case against Enron Corp.
June 15, 2002 — Update: A federal jury on rules employees of Arthur Andersen obstructed justice.
June 12, 2002 — The chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission details new rules that would require executives to certify their companies' financial reports.
May 15, 2002 — A Senate panel hears new testimony that Enron may have used illegal trading methods to inflate energy prices in California's recently deregulated market. Two experts discuss the allegations.
May 23, 2002 — Update: The White House officials handed over summaries of contacts between the Bush administration and Enron executives after a Senate committee voted to subpoena relevant documents in the case.
May 20, 2002 — David Duncan, the former Arthur Andersen auditor in charge of Enron's books, wrapped up his testimony in the obstruction of justice case against the accounting giant. Two industry experts assess where the trial stands following Duncan's week on the stand.
April 25, 2002 — Update: By a 334-90 vote, the House approved Republican-backed legislation aimed at overhauling both the accounting industry and the corporate audit system in the wake of Enron's sudden collapse.
April 11, 2002 — The House passes a Republican-sponsored bill to reform private pension plans after thousands of employees lost their savings in the Enron collapse.
March 27, 2002 — Update: Arthur Andersen CEO Joseph Berardino says he's resigning in an attempt to save the accounting firm, which was indicted for destroying Enron-related audit documents.
March 15, 2002 — Update: Accounting giant Arthur Andersen LLP pleaded not guilty to a single count of obstruction of justice in a federal court Wednesday. (3/21/02)
March 15, 2002 — Legal experts consider how an entire company can be held accountable for the potential crimes of its employees. (3/15/02)
March 14, 2002 — Update: The U.S. government indicted accounting giant Arthur Andersen for obstruction of justice in the ongoing investigation into the collapse of energy giant Enron.
March 14, 2002 — RealAudio: Deputy Attorney General Larry Thompson announces the indictment.
March 12, 2002 — Former Federal Reserve chairman Paul Volcker discusses problems in the accounting industry and his recommendation that Arthur Andersen be split up.
February 27, 2002 — As Congress widens its investigation into the collapse of the former energy giant, one Senate committee examines the role played by Wall Street analysts.
February 26, 2002 — Kwame Holman reports on the conflicting testimonies of former CEO Jeffrey Skilling's and Vice President Sherron Watkins..
February 22, 2002 — Paul Solman asks Congress and other federal regulators how they failed to foresee Enron's imminent demise.
February 19, 2002 — Media Correspondent Terence Smith explores how business reporters largely missed the impending implosion of Enron, the largest corporate bankruptcy in U.S. history.
February 19, 2002 — A look at how the collapse of Enron has affected pensions and the state of California.
February 14, 2002 — Update: Sherron Watkins, the Enron vice-president who raised concerns about the company's financial activities, testifies before the House Energy and Commerce subcommittee.
RealAudio: Listen to the opening statements made by the House Committee and Sherron Watkins.
February 12, 2002 — Experts take a closer look at Kenneth Lay and the influence he wielded over the energy industry, following his appearance before the Senate Commerce Committee.
February 11, 2002 — Two perspectives on ways to reform the accounting industry: Deloitte and Touche CEO James Copeland and former SEC Chairman Richard Breeden.
February 11, 2002 — Update: The Labor Department announced it will replace Enron's pension administrative committee with an independent fiduciary body.
February 8, 2002 — With a week full of Enron hearings now complete and the testimony of former CEO Kenneth Lay on the horizon, three experts assess what has been learned about the company's collapse thus far.
February 7, 2002 — A congressional panel investigating Enron's collapse hears from former CEO Jeffrey Skilling, the highest ranking executive to appear before Congress. RealAudio: Listen to the opening statement of former CEO Jeffrey Skilling.
February 6, 2002 — The Secretary of the Treasury Paul O'Neill assesses the impact of Enron's collapse on the U.S. economy.
February 5, 2002 — Update: Two key congressional committee leaders announce they will subpoena former Enron CEO Kenneth Lay to discuss the company's collapse.
Kwame Holman reports on congressional hearings.
February 4, 2002 — Three legal and financial experts examine a newly released report on Enron's questionable financial partnerships and accounting methods.
The full report (PDF - 9,800 kb)
February 1, 2002 — Experts discuss the president's pension plan reforms and strategies to protect employee 401(k) plans.
January 28, 2002 — A look at the repercussions of Enron's collapse in its hometown of Houston, Texas.
January 25, 2002 — Update: Enron executive found dead in apparent suicide.
January 24, 2002 — RealAudio: The House Energy and Commerce Committee hears testimony on document destruction.
January 23, 2002 — Rep. John Dingell (D-Mich.) and Rep. Jim Greenwood (R-Penn.) discuss the Enron investigation, and its implications for campaign finance reform and accounting rules.
January 23, 2002 — Enron Chair and CEO Kenneth Lay announces his resignation.
January 22, 2002 — Paul Solman demystifies Enron's accounting alchemy.
January 18, 2002 — Issues and answers about employee retirement accounts following the financial collapse of Enron.
January 17, 2002 —Three experts assess the potential impact of the SEC changes.
January 17, 2002 — Update: Enron's board of directors fires Arthur Andersen, SEC proposes new accounting regulations.
January 15, 2002 — RealAudio: A New York Times business reporter updates the Enron fallout.
January 14, 2002 — Sen. Joe Lieberman (D-Conn.) And Sen. Fred Thompson (R-Tenn.) talk about the political fallout from Enron.
January 11, 2002 — RealAudio: A look into questions surrounding Enron's accounting practices.
January 10, 2002 — Experts assess the financial and legal issues at stake in the Enron case.
January 10, 2002 — Update: The Justice Department opens a criminal investigation into Enron's collapse.
December 12, 2001 —How Enron's bankruptcy is affecting its former employees.
November 29, 2001 — Energy experts discuss the collapse of Enron, the largest energy trading firm in the United States.

Document — Enron's Chapter 11 filings.
Documents — The House Committee on Energy and Commerce releases documents from the Enron hearings.