As former Worldcom CEO Bernie Ebbers drove to prison to begin his 25-year sentence for fraud, another executive of a bankrupt company received news of his punishment. Andrew Fastow, the former CFO of Enron, received a six-year sentence for his role in the collapse of the energy firm. He pleaded guilty in 2004 to two
counts of wire and securities fraud, and admitted to his role in running bogus partnerships to inflate profits and hide debt. His cooperation, which led to the convictions of co-conspirators Enron CEO Jeffrey Skilling and the late Ken Lay, led the judge to accept his attorney's request for leniency. For his plea bargain, Fastow could have served 10 years, so the six-year term is a break. In October, Skilling, whose appeal is pending, will receive his sentence. Lay died in July. —Matthew Wurtzel
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