Apparently the Fastow’s were not making enough money bilking millions before the collapse of Enron so they decided to cheat on their taxes to boot, which when you consider their collective bad acts was really the lesser evil to pin on her. She was actually
charged with six counts—including conspiracy to commit wire fraud, money laundering conspiracy and filing false tax returns—for collaborating with her husband in the alleged scheme years after she left the company.
Money Laundering? Conspiracy to commit wire fraud? Don’t those two counts sound a little bit like...I don’t know...Racketeering?!? Please do not misunderstand me, I would not like to see their kids without a parent because both of them decided to collaborate with others in a scheme to defraud millions of investors. Their children were probably not part of this ravenous money-grabbing (even if they no doubt benefit from it) and I would hate to see them affected. HOWEVER…
Let us not forget that in this country both parents can be (and are) sent to jail for any number of infractions and just because the Fastow’s were not putting their children in danger (unless you consider impressionable children being raised by two people without ANY ethics whatever a little bit dangerous) does not make them sympathetic. I doubt my neighbors could make that plea agreement with the judge but if they were stealing millions of dollars they would NOT be living in this neighborhood. Having said all of that I do know why the agreement was made.
There is no way that Andrew Fastow would have copped a plea unless he was satisfied that his kids would have their mother around to raise them. With Andy there is a much better chance that Kenny Lay will eventually get nailed even though at present he is not even charged with anything. 10 years and $29,000,000.00 is no small thing but getting a slap on the wrist for his wife was a cherry, yet if his information can hang the rest of the Enron bastards the deal will be worth it.
Keep your fingers crossed and hope this starts a domino effect.
Indeed. I was following this story earlier this morning on NPR and could only shake my head in wonder at it all. Amazing what you can get away with as long as you can squeal on a bigger fish higher up later on.