Voting Station

Bernard Ebbers

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Entrepreneur

The Resume

    (August 27, 1941-February 2, 2020)
    Co-founded WorldCom (1983)
    Former CEO of WorldCom (1985-2002)
    Nicknamed the 'Telcom Cowboy'
    Found guilty of nine felony charges ranging from conspiracy, securities fraud and filing false statements with securities regulators (March 15, 2005)
    Sentenced to 25 years in prison (July 13, 2005)

Why he might be annoying:

    He wore boots and blue jeans rather than an appropriate corporate uniform.
    He is a Born Again Christian and pushes his faith onto others.
    He started corporate meetings with prayer.
    Despite his faith, he divorced his first wife to marry someone younger (July 1997).
    At a church event, he told the congregation, 'I just want you to know you aren't going to church with a crook. No one will find me to have knowingly committed fraud .' (2002).
    He repeatedly invoked the Fifth Amendment during Congressional hearings.
    He borrowed over $400 million from his own company.
    His company defrauded investors and manipulated the books.
    Many WorldCom employees lost their life savings when the fraud was discovered.
    He claimed he was unaware of the $12 billion accounting fraud. But yet his associates claimed he so micro-managed that he bitched about minor details like the cost of employee coffee.
    He cited poor health to request a shorter prison term. Although he was healthy enough to do manual labor on his Canadian ranch.
    He owned a yacht but never used it because he was too much of a cheapskate to pay for its use.
    He has huge ears.
    He went from a $1.4 billion fortune to a penniless convicted felon.
    He cried like a little girl when he was sentenced.

Why he might not be annoying:

    Since rejected wearing the corporate suit and tie, it is much easier for him to wear that orange jumpsuit.
    He donated $100 million to charity.
    He had to let go of most of his personal wealth to settle a civil suit with investors he wronged.
    His trial and conviction serves as a lesson to all aspiring white-collar criminals.

Credit: Captain Howdy


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    In 2023, Out of 8 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2022, Out of 3 Votes: 66.67% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 14 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2020, Out of 246 Votes: 53.66% Annoying
    In 2019, Out of 27 Votes: 48.15% Annoying
    In 2018, Out of 28 Votes: 46.43% Annoying
    In 2017, Out of 12 Votes: 25.00% Annoying
    In 2016, Out of 10 Votes: 60.0% Annoying
    In 2015, Out of 14 Votes: 42.86% Annoying
    In 2014, Out of 25 Votes: 56.00% Annoying
    In 2013, Out of 32 Votes: 59.38% Annoying
    In 2012, Out of 26 Votes: 73.08% Annoying
    In 2011, Out of 40 Votes: 70.0% Annoying
    In 2010, Out of 43 Votes: 65.12% Annoying
    In 2009, Out of 45 Votes: 68.89% Annoying
    In 2008, Out of 38 Votes: 63.16% Annoying
    In 2007, Out of 113 Votes: 61.95% Annoying
    In 2006, Out of 636 Votes: 55.82% Annoying
    In 2005, Out of 589 Votes: 58.91% Annoying