OFF TO COURT
(FORTUNE Magazine) – Andy Fastow, Sam Waksal, Martha Stewart: Lots of famous names have had their days in court. Now scandal-hunting prosecutors have new targets in their sights. -- Kate Bonamici Walter Forbes, Cendant ■ 16 counts: conspiracy, fraud, insider trading. ■ Forbes faces a retrial in the fall, seven years after Cendant's alleged $500 million fraud was uncovered. Ken Lay, Enron ■ 11 counts: bank, wire, and securities fraud; false statements to banks. ■ His defense--"I'm an empty suit!"--just might work. Jeffrey Skilling, Enron ■ 30-plus counts, including fraud, lying to auditors, and insider trading. ■ Enron's golden boy will be tried with Lay. His expected defense? "I'm an empty suit too!" Richard Scrushy, HealthSouth ■ Mail fraud? Check. Obstruction of justice, money laundering, conspiracy? Check, check, check. 58 counts in all. ■ If charges stick, he will have to forfeit $278 million in assets. Dennis Kozlowski, Tyco ■ Grand larceny, conspiracy, falsifying business records, and tax evasion. ■ Jabba's retrial (sadly devoid of naked ice sculptures) is under way in New York State Supreme Court. Mark Swartz, Tyco ■ Same as Kozlowski. ■ Free on $5 million bail, he and Kozlowski face up to 25 years in prison for their grand larceny charges alone. |
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