Two more former Enron executives who copped pleas will be sentenced this morning, former Andy Fastow confidant, Michael Kopper, and former Enron investor relations chief, Mark Koenig.
Both men will likely be presented today as paragons of virtue who simply had a lapse of judgment while embroiled in the corruption of Enron. The truth is far different, as explained in this earlier post about Kopper and this previous one about Koenig. Kopper is one of the relatively few real criminals in the entire Enron affair and should be receiving a sentence on par with that of Fastow, although that is unlikely to occur. On the other hand, Koenig is not a criminal and probably should be doing what Chris Calger is attempting to do, but that doesn’t make his dubious testimony after copping a plea any less despicable.
Update: Kopper gets 3 years a month in prison and Koenig receives 18 months (Chronicle story here).
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Good at-bats I suppose for Kopper, 37 months, and Koenig, 18. The game, however, must be more like cricket, where teams sometimes seem to score even when the batter looks like a fool or — I like Tom’s word better — despicable.
Most importantly, Kopper’s long time lover was allowed to keep 9 million in gains that were truly embezzled. I hope the plaintiff lawyers are all over that one. Kopper is clearly the winner… 37 months for 9 million+… Those in the know are not sure if Kopper corrupted Fastow or if Fastow corrupted Kopper. I hope Koenig can live with himself.
To bad those in the know don’t include the juries that have considered the TF’s “evidence.” Sorry statement about the criminal justice system.