Mark Whitacre

Mark Whitacre
Whitacre in 2008
Born (1957-05-01) May 1, 1957 (age 67)
EducationOhio State University (BS, MS)
Cornell University (PhD)
Occupation(s)Chief Science Officer
of Cypress Systems, Inc.[2][3][4]
Criminal statusReleased December 21, 2006[2][3][4]
Spouse
Ginger Whitacre
(m. 1979)
[5][6]
ChildrenThree[6]
Criminal chargeWire fraud, tax fraud, money laundering, price-fixing[1]
Penalty9 years in federal prison camp (but served ca. 8+12 yrs. for good behavior)[2]

Mark Edward Whitacre (born May 1, 1957) is an American business executive who came to public attention in 1995 when, as president of the Decatur, Illinois-based BioProducts Division at Archer Daniels Midland (ADM), he became the highest-level corporate executive in U.S. history to become a Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) whistleblower. For three years (1992–95), Whitacre acted as a cooperating witness for the FBI, which was investigating ADM for price fixing. In the late 1990s, Whitacre was sentenced to nine years in federal prison for embezzling $9.5 million from ADM at the same time he was assisting the federal price-fixing investigation.[7][8]

ADM investigated Whitacre's activities and, upon discovering suspicious activity, requested the FBI investigate Whitacre for embezzlement. As a result of $9.5 million in various frauds, Whitacre lost his whistleblower's immunity, and consequently spent eight and a half years in federal prison. He was released in December 2006. Whitacre is currently the chief science officer and President of Operations at Cypress Systems, a California biotechnology firm.[9]

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference DOJ was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ a b c "Lysine Cartel Whistleblower on Price Fixing and Rebuilding his Life after Prison", Feed Info News Service, Global Data Systems, Inc., 2009-01-13, archived from the original on 2010-06-22
  3. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference Forbes was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference Pavlo was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference Henkoff was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ a b Lieber 2000, p. 518.
  7. ^ Journal, Scott KilmanStaff Reporter of The Wall Street (1998-03-05). "Mark Whitacre Is Sentenced to 9 Years For Swindling $9.5 Million From ADM". Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. Retrieved 2020-04-11.
  8. ^ Eichenwald, Kurt (1998-03-05). "Archer Daniels Informant Receives a 9-Year Sentence". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2020-04-11.
  9. ^ "Meet the Cypress Team". SelenoExcell, Food-Form Selenium, Minerals. Retrieved 2020-03-10.