AVOIDING INVESTMENTS IN FRAUDULENT COMPANIES: THE WORLDCOM FRAUD Introduction The purpose of this report is to investigate and discuss the accounting fraud that occurred at WorldCom in order to recommend improved strategies to Berkshire Hathaway’s management for avoiding investments in companies with fraudulent financials. Accounting fraud is a crime committed by high level employees at an organization to manipulate the organization’s financial statements and intentionally disguise company
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M1. Case Study Assignment: Fraud at WorldCom 1. Who were the major characters in WorldCom? There are a couple of major characters that played their roles in the downfall of WorldCom. Mr. Bernard J. (Bernie) Ebbers‚ one of the founders of the original small long-distance carrier‚ was asked to take charge of the company during its early struggles. It was under his tenure that WorldCom began its expanding pursuits and aggressive acquisitions. Although Mr. Ebbers was he head of the company‚ their CFO
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WorldCom Failure in relation to its Organizational Behavior LDR/531 - Organizational Leadership October 7‚ 2010 WorldCom Failure in relation to its Organizational Behavior INTRODUCTION Year 2002 saw an unprecedented number of corporate scandals: Enron‚ Tyco‚ Global Crossing‚ etc. In many ways‚ WorldCom is just another case of failed corporate governance‚ accounting abuses‚ and outright greed. Many people may question if there is a secret to operating a successful business in modern times.
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Enron and its Associates Used Questionable Accounting Practices Clearly‚ there have been cases where management knowingly deceived the auditors. Then there seem to be other instances where the accounting treatment envelope was pushed just a bit too far. In the case of Enron‚ David B. Duncan‚ the former Andersen partner in charge of the Enron audit who was the government’s chief witness in the trial against Arthur Andersen‚ stood behind the decisions that resulted in the widespread use of off-balance
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Tripp‚ Kerr-McGee’s Karen Silkwood and Sherron Watkins of Enron are all on the same list of famous whistleblowers. All of these people have become famous because they provided information with the sole purpose of revealing wrongdoings by someone or a company. Some believe whistleblowers are traitors and should be punished: while others believe they are heroes and should be honored. Whistleblowers are being acknowledged as a great threat to companies and managers are realizing that they need to
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The Whistleblowers Protection bill The Union Cabinet has cleared a bill to protect whistleblowers and punish those exposing identity of people disclosing information. The proposed legislation‚ Public Interest Disclosure and Protection to Persons Making The Disclosure Bill‚ 2010‚ provides the Central Vigilance Commission powers of a civil court to hand down harsh penalty to people revealing identity of whistleblowers. The CVC will be empowered to take action against those who reveal the identity
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Accounting Fraud at WorldCom LDDS began operations in 1984 offering services to local retail and commercial customers in the southern states. It was initially a loss making enterprise‚ and thus hired Bernie J. (Bernie) Ebbers to run things. It took him less than a year to make the company profitable. By the end of 1993‚ LDDS was the fourth largest long distance carrier in the United States. After a shareholder vote in May 1995‚ the company officially came to be known as WorldCom. WorldCom culture was
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Whistleblowers have made headlines in media for much of modern American history. The viewpoints regarding whistleblowers are conflicted: some view them as heroes who rightfully expose government truths while others see them as criminals that should be punished with the fullest extend of the law. In fact‚ according to the “Whistleblowers” article in the Opposing Viewpoints Online Collection‚ “many whistleblowers are considered renegades or even traitors‚ and they may suffer both legally and in terms
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Case Study 1 -2 Discharge for Whistleblower Activity 1. Should the federal appeals court deny Broom and Miller’s appeal and enforce the decision of the state district court finding upholding the discharge of the two whistleblowers? Explain your reasoning. In my opinion‚ the federal appeals court should uphold the decision of the state district court finding and this support the discharge of the two whistleblowers. The reasons for this opinion: * The employees did not follow the proper
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Jacqueline Davis should check for the laws for whistleblower in her state and look for an environmental law firm that might provide her some advice on a confidential basis. If she pays a very modest sum‚ like $1‚ they may be able to hear her situation and give her some idea of the legal issues and what they recommend she do next. They won’t do legal work for her without being paid‚ but they would probably give her the almost free consultation to send her in the right direction. As a practical
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