Jeffrey Skilling - Enron

At the end of 2001, it was revealed that Enron's reported financial condition was sustained substantially by an institutionalized, systematic, and creatively planned accounting fraud, known since as the Enron scandal. Enron has since become a well-known example of wilful corporate fraud and corruption.

Former Enron CEO Jeffrey Skilling claimed he was inspired by Richard Dawkins' book "The Selfish Gene" when he implemented a system known as "rank and yank" that sought to apply nature's lessons to the energy industry. Skilling had all employees in the company ranked every six months. Then he offered lavish bonuses to the top 5 percent while the bottom 15 percent were relocated or fired. In the resulting culture energy traders openly discussed and engaged in manipulative and fraudulent trading operations, arranging power outages and accidents to manipulate energy prices. Operations names' included Death Star, Wheel Out, Get Shorty, Fat Boy and Ricochet.

CEO Jeffrey Skilling and Chairman Kenneth Lay were charged with Fraud, Insider trading, Money Laundering and conspiracy. Thanks to Sharon Watkins an Enron whistle blower.