Fraud Examination Enron Paper
1. Define the problem(s)
Enron failed to record some of its transactions. Arthur Andersen did not allow the LJM financial statement to stay unconsolidated.
2. Analyze the situation - again, take a "lessons learned" approach. You might use the following questions as guides:
A. What important internal controls were ignored when LJM1 was created? LJM1 ignored some of Enron’s entries in the books that were missing. Outsiders owned less than 3% of the Special Purpose Entities equities. There was an error made by Arthur Andersen to let LJM’s financial statement to remain unconsolidated. If the financial statements had been consolidated, some of the errors could have been found. They may have even had some time to correct these errors before that had gotten so far out of control. There was not governing controls in place and fraudulent activities were unlimited. Andrew Fastow created LJM1 to handle investments with Rhythms NetConnections, high-speed Internet service provider. The stock that they bought at $10 million was worth $300 million after a year. Enron tried to sell the stocks to an investor, in case the stock price dropped. They could not find an investor to purchase the stock at the put option because of the risks that was involved.
B. How might Enron’s harsh Performance Review Committee (PRC) have aided company executives in committing the fraud? Enron’s harsh Performance Review Committee (PRC) have aided company executives in committing the fraud because the high turn over may have caused them to seek revenge. All of the Enron employees were rated on a scale of 1-5. The employees that are at bottom of the scale were terminated and replaced. The employee may have known that they did not do so well and would ne rated as the lowest score on the scale. They may have stopped putting as much effort into the work because they knew beforehand that they were going to be released. They may have felt as though they needed to get the rewards that were well
Enron failed to record some of its transactions. Arthur Andersen did not allow the LJM financial statement to stay unconsolidated.
2. Analyze the situation - again, take a "lessons learned" approach. You might use the following questions as guides:
A. What important internal controls were ignored when LJM1 was created? LJM1 ignored some of Enron’s entries in the books that were missing. Outsiders owned less than 3% of the Special Purpose Entities equities. There was an error made by Arthur Andersen to let LJM’s financial statement to remain unconsolidated. If the financial statements had been consolidated, some of the errors could have been found. They may have even had some time to correct these errors before that had gotten so far out of control. There was not governing controls in place and fraudulent activities were unlimited. Andrew Fastow created LJM1 to handle investments with Rhythms NetConnections, high-speed Internet service provider. The stock that they bought at $10 million was worth $300 million after a year. Enron tried to sell the stocks to an investor, in case the stock price dropped. They could not find an investor to purchase the stock at the put option because of the risks that was involved.
B. How might Enron’s harsh Performance Review Committee (PRC) have aided company executives in committing the fraud? Enron’s harsh Performance Review Committee (PRC) have aided company executives in committing the fraud because the high turn over may have caused them to seek revenge. All of the Enron employees were rated on a scale of 1-5. The employees that are at bottom of the scale were terminated and replaced. The employee may have known that they did not do so well and would ne rated as the lowest score on the scale. They may have stopped putting as much effort into the work because they knew beforehand that they were going to be released. They may have felt as though they needed to get the rewards that were well
References: http://faculty.mckendree.edu/scholars/2004/stinson.htm Case Study 2 - Enron and Arthur Andersen