Bernard Ebbers | |
|---|---|
 Ebbers c. 2000 | |
| Born | August 27, 1941 Edmonton, Alberta, Canada |
| Died | February 2, 2020 (aged 78) Brookhaven, Mississippi, U.S. |
| Criminal status | Deceased[1] |
| Spouses | Linda Pigott
(m. 1968; div. 1997)Kristie Webb
(m. 1999; div. 2008) |
| Criminal charge | Securities fraud, conspiracy |
| Penalty | 25-year imprisonment |
| Imprisoned at | Federal Correctional Institution, Fort Worth |
Bernard John Ebbers (August 27, 1941 – February 2, 2020) was a Canadian-American businessman and the co-founder and CEO of WorldCom. Under his management, WorldCom grew rapidly but collapsed in 2002 amid revelations of accounting irregularities, making it at the time one of the largest accounting scandals in the United States. Ebbers blamed his subordinates but was convicted of fraud and conspiracy.[2] In December 2019, Ebbers was released from Federal Medical Center, Fort Worth, due to declining health, having served 13 years of his 25-year sentence, and he died just over a month later.
In 2013, Portfolio.com and CNBC named Ebbers as the 5th-worst CEO in American history.[3] In 2009, Time named him the 10th-most corrupt CEO of all time.[4]
Dubbed the "Telecom Cowboy," Ebbers often wore boots and blue jeans instead of the typical corporate uniform of a suit and tie. He also lived on a farm and loved to drive a tractor.[5][6]
- ^ Dolmetsch, Chris (December 19, 2019). "WorldCom's Bernard Ebbers Wins Early Release From Prison". Bloomberg News.
- ^ Bayot, Jennifer (July 13, 2005). "Ebbers Sentenced to 25 Years in Prison for $11 Billion Fraud". The New York Times.
- ^ "Portfolio's Worst American CEOs of All Time". CNBC. April 30, 2009.
- ^ "Top 10 Crooked CEOs". Time.
- ^ OSTER, PATRICK (February 3, 2020). "Ex-WorldCom CEO Bernard Ebbers, 'telecom cowboy' sentenced to 25 years in accounting fraud, dies at 78". Fortune. Bloomberg News.
- ^ GIMEIN, MARK (October 6, 1999). "Bernie Ebbers, a 19th century-style tech tycoon?". Salon.