...Insight on WorldCom Scandal Table of Contents ABSTRACT 2 The importance of accounting conceptual framework 3 Historical Background 5 The Scandal – what happened 6 PENALTIES 7 How the scandal relates to accounting theory 8 RELATION TO POSITIVE ACCOUNTING THEORY 9 Conservatism Principle 9 Lack of Reliability 10 Lack of Relevance 11 Financial Misstatement 11 Conclusion 12 Bibliography 14 Insight on WorldCom Scandal ABSTRACT The scope of this paper deals with the WorldCom accounting scandal of the early 2000’s as it relates to elements of accounting theory. The discussion will cover the key reasons that contributed to the collapse of WorldCom. Specifically, this paper will look at: Executive compensation, Earnings Management, and Information Asymmetry. The authors will present arguments that clearly show how each of these three sub-topics played a pivotal role in the scandal. The reader will also see how these reasons are often inter-related, and often overlap each other, the enormity of which caused the company to fall like a stack of dominoes. In particular, information asymmetry was allowed to flourish as the WorldCom executives lavished themselves with huge compensation, all the while keeping the board of directors and investors out of the loop. A poor corporate government structure existed as the board was filled with inept and ineffective individuals who were powerless to stop the pilfering of profits. The end result of these actions...
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...Solutiongo to problem WorldCom scandal was one of the biggest accounting scandals of American corporate history. WorldCom was a U.S based telecommunication company. The WorldCom accounting scandal was disclosed in 2002. The Company had resorted to fraudulent accounting practices for five quarters (four quarters of 2001 and the first quarter of 2002) (The WorldCom Accounting Scandal, 2002). The well-known telecommunication company WorldCom and the accounting, auditing and consultancy enterprise were involved in this big accounting fraud. The corporate scandal of WorldCom ultimately headed the company towards the disgrace that ensued in the biggest bankruptcy in American history. After this act company terminated the service of the top executive including Scott Sullivan (Sullivan), the Chief Financial Officer and David Myers, the Senior Vice President and Controller. The main entity accused of this fraud in the company was the Arthur Anderson WorldCom auditor. The company auditors did the fraud and held Sullivan responsible for this fraud. Sullivan was arrested on charges of frauds and misrepresentation of the accounts. The Arthur main accused of fraud was washing their hand by fired the fact of fraud. He was creating the facts, which shows that he was not aware about the accounting discrepancies (The WorldCom Accounting Scandal, 2002). The auditor made the hole of $4 billion in balance sheet of the company, which created the financial crisis for WorldCom. For overcoming from...
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...Ethics in Accounting and the Fall of WorldCom Alison Painter Breeden Juanita S. Edwards, CPA ACC 557: Financial Accounting 23 January 2013 Ethics in Accounting and the Fall of WorldCom In 2002, WorldCom was the second largest telecommunications company in the United States, but because of management failures and an unethical accounting culture it went bankrupt. This paper contains a discussion describing corporate ethics currently used in business; WorldCom's background, and the ethical breach; how WorldCom's ethical issue was discovered, describing how management failed to create an ethical environment; and recommendations. A conclusion summarizes the paper. Corporate Ethics If a company is driven by its responsibility to its Shareholders, then it should base its decisions and actions on the best interests of the owners, and generate more profit. If the company is stake-holder driven then its decisions and actions should be based on what is in the best interest of those impacted by the business (Gruble, 2011). Gruble (2011) further argued that "The most widely accepted definition for business ethics says that it is a set of corporate values and codes of principles, which may be written or unwritten, by which a company evaluates its actions and business-related decisions.” WorldCom was a company driven by its responsibility to its shareholders to the point where it began to behave unethically and this ultimately led to its demise. WorldCom History and...
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...Effects of Unethical Behavior ACC/291 One may describe accounting as a type of language or mechanism that provides information about the financial position of a company. The information provided in the financial statements of accounting is used by investors to determine whether or not to invest in an organization, and used by creditors to determine whether or not a loan should be granted. The mere fact that these financial statements are important and involves money opens doors for unethical practice and behavior. In the past years companies like Enron and WorldCom have been scandalize for its company’s unethical conduct in accounting. In the wake of numerous corporate scandals the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (SOX) of 2002 was created to protect investors by improving the reliability and accuracy of corporates disclosure made pursuant to the securities laws, and for other purposes. Although many companies run their business honestly, others turn out to be criminals, robbing their customers’ qualm, or dragging themselves into illegal practices slowly through good intentions or ignorance. Companies may be tempted to practice unethical behavior in accounting for different reasons such as greed, opportunity, disconnection, and ignorance. Unethical practices and behaviors also include: manipulation of financial, bribery, insider trade, misuse of funds, exaggerating the value of corporate assets, exaggerating revenue, securities fraud, purposely providing erroneous information relating...
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...WorldCom is one of the biggest scandals that happen in the world, especially in the United States of America. WorldCom merged with MCI in 1997 for US$37 billion to form MCI WorldCom. Later on WorldCom wanted to merge with Sprint Corporation in 1999 becoming a $129 billion merge, but before the two companies finalized the US department of Justice and the European Union stepped in and didn’t want this to happen, for this merge had the possibility of creating a monopoly. Bernard Ebbers was the CEO of WorldCom at the time, he became very wealth with WorldCom common stock. Without the merge of Sprint, WorldCom Stock started to decrease over time, and the banks were pressuring Ebbers and he had to cover margin calls on his WorldCom stock that was used to finance other business like (timber, yachting.) From 1999 through 2002 Scott Sullivan (CFO), David Myers (Controller) and Buford Yates (Director of General Accounting) were using shady accounting methods to show the company profitability and financial growth when company was losing shares. The company was capitalizing there expenses when they should have been expensing them, making the balance sheet look better than what it really is. The second issue for the company was making fake accounting entries to make them look like they generated revenues from corporate unallocated revenue accounts. WorldCom had approximately $3.8 billion in fraud of June 2002. For unethical practices WorldCom was capitalizing their products when they...
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...Scandal and Fraud in the Business World Diana Christina Lopez The University of Houston-Victoria Abstract These papers explore the scandal and fraud of two multibillion dollar companies who file for the largest bankruptcy in business history. In the case of both Enron and WorldCom, the causes of fraud surrounded the manipulation and misleading financial reports created by accountants. Enron was accused of lying about its profits and committing a range of inappropriate deals, including hiding the company’s debt so it would not show in the financial statements to the public. Enron was not the only company that made history for fraudulent events. WorldCom, the largest handler of long distance internet data filed for bankruptcy a year after Enron. Although Enron and WorldCom were scandals that shocked the world, they are learning examples of what can no longer be happen in corporations. Government leaders are also announcing major changes in the regulations of accounting and corporate governance to bring trust back into the financial market. Key terms: Enron, WorldCom, Sarbanes-Oxley Act, Accounting, Fraud, Scandal, Financial reports Scandal and Fraud in the Business World Over the past few years, all we heard and seen in the media is how multibillion dollar companies are filling for bankruptcy. Many wonder how companies with growing income can fall apart from one day to another. Who is to blame? Many experts blame the unethical practices by accountants. Accounting...
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...Review of Accounting Ethics ACC557 Financial Accounting Ethics in Accounting and the Fall of WorldCom In 2002, WorldCom was the second largest telecommunications company in the United States, but because of management failures and an unethical accounting culture it went bankrupt. This paper contains a discussion describing corporate ethics currently used in business; WorldCom's background, and the ethical breach; how WorldCom's ethical issue was discovered, describing how management failed to create an ethical environment; and recommendations. A conclusion summarizes the paper. Corporate Ethics If a company is driven by its responsibility to its Shareholders, then it should base its decisions and actions on the best interests of the owners, and generate more profit. If the company is stake-holder driven then its decisions and actions should be based on what is in the best interest of those impacted by the business (Gruble, 2011). Gruble (2011) further argued that "The most widely accepted definition for business ethics says that it is a set of corporate values and codes of principles, which may be written or unwritten, by which a company evaluates its actions and business-related decisions.” WorldCom was a company driven by its responsibility to its shareholders to the point where it began to behave unethically and this ultimately led to its demise. WorldCom History and the Ethics Breach In 1983, two business men, Murray Waldron and William Rector, created a plan...
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...Organizational Leadership LDR 531 Group Number: SC09MBA10 G. Edward McCullough, M.A. March 25, 2010 Examining a Business Failure: WorldCom Why do businesses fail? Most business corporations experience company failure because of their lack of organizational leadership and unethical practices, which can consist of fraud, conspiracy, falsifying documents, and embezzlement. An example of a business failure is most recognized by the WorldCom (2002) bankruptcy scandal. Many organizational behavior (OB) theories as it relates to leadership, management, and organizational structure can give in site to explain the company’s failure. Most blame for the WorldCom scandal was placed in its founder and CEO Bernard Ebbers due to his unruly managerial functions (planning, organizing, leading and controlling) that he practiced during his time at WorldCom. WorldCom was known as a telecommunication giant, established from nothing in 1983 to become the biggest accounting scandal in United States (U.S.) history in 2002. According to Jones Jonesington (2007) says, “In 1998, the telecommunications industry began to slow down and WorldCom’s stock was declining which gave CEO Bernard Ebbers increased pressure from banks to cover margin calls on his WorldCom stock that was used to finance his other businesses endeavors (timber, yachting etc.).”(Jonesington, J., 2007) WorldCom took another big hit in 2000 when it was forced to abandon its merger with Sprint, says Jonesington. (Jonesington, J., 2007) ...
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...of a dividend the employees get more stock. Then all of a sudden one March morning all these millionaire managers wake up to discover they are not only now worth just a few hundred bucks, but that their jobs were disappearing. This situation was a reality for many WorldCom workers, because on that March morning America’s largest fraud at the time had been reported. WorldCom was a publicly traded corporation established in 1983 to provide Long Distance Discount Services (LDDS) (Internet Services, 2011). Through the acquisition of other businesses Worldcom became the world’s second largest telecommunication company. LDDS began by leasing a wide-area telecommunications service (WATS) line and resold time to other businesses (Internet Services, 2011). WATS is a form of fixed-rate long distance telecommunication service in which certain area codes, such 800, 888, or 877, are reserved for businesses and when customers call these numbers they are not charged for long-distance but rather the business is charged as a subscriber of the WATS service (Rouse, 2006). Beginning in 1988, LDDS began growing through the acquisition of other companies such as Telephone Management Corp., National Telecommunications, IDB WorldCom, and WilTel Network Services (Internet Services, 2011). In 1989, LDDS went public through the acquisition of Advantage Companies Inc....
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...ETHICS IN ACCOUNTING: THE WORLDCOM INC. SCANDAL Conf.univ.dr. Lucian Cernuşca “Aurel Vlaicu” University, Arad, str. Piaţa Sporturilor, nr. 10, bl. 25, apt. 7, 310167 Arad, Phone: 0730468534, luciancernusca@gmail.com What is ethics? What does ethics have to do with accounting? How does a scandal affect the business environment and the society? This article will explain just those questions by analyzing a “famous” fraud scandal: WorldCom Inc. The article discusses the chronology of events that lead to the WorldCom Inc. collapse and explains how the figures were manipulated for the owners’ interest and what the accounting scam was. The article ends with the consequences of the scandal and what the effects were on the society and business environment in general. JEL Classification: M4 Accounting and Auditing Key words: ethics, accounting, bankruptcy, WorldCom Inc., expenses. What is ethics? Why ethics in accounting? Ethical values are the foundations on which a civilized society is based on. Without them, the civilization collapses. In business, the purpose of ethics is to direct business men and women to abide by a code of conduct that facilitates public confidence in their product and services. In the accounting field, professional accounting organizations recognize the accounting profession’s responsibility to provide ethical guidelines to its members. Ethics must and should be taught. People are not born with the desire to be ethical or be concerned with...
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...| Bernie Ebbers - WorldCom | Ethical Profile | Khristin B. Vargas | uNIVERSITY OF lA vERNE 1/22/2015 | | | Table of Contents Introduction 3 Timeline leading to Ebbers conviction: 3 Current Events 4 Perceived Motivations 5 Impacts 6 Conclusion 6 Bibliography 7 Introduction “The recent corporate accounting scandals at Enron, WorldCom, and other corporations have helped to fuel a massive loss of confidence in the integrity of American business, Bernie Ebbers was one of the many owners that crashed our integrity” (Carson, 2003, p. 390). Bernie Ebbers, CEO of WorldCom, business executive, and convict, is known to be one of United States most unethical leaders in history. He was convicted on March 15, 2005 on nine counts of conspiracy, securities fraud and making false regulatory filings. WorldCom was 2nd in the nation’s largest long distance telecommunications company, however the company was red flagged when a series of rapid acquisitions took place. The company was founded in 1995 and by 2000 it had seen rapid growth improvements as did Ebbers career. Ebbers went from the big “C” in CEO to the little “C” in convict within a short time frame. Timeline leading to Ebbers conviction: * 1980s - Ebbers got involved in the investment, acquisition, and management of telecommunications companies (Ebbers, 2015) * 1995 - Bernie co-founded WorldCom and was given the title of chief executive (Ebbers, 2015) * Late 1990s – Ebbers acquired...
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...WorldCom Ethical Scandal In the late 1990’s, WorldCom was a successful company and leader in the telecommunications world. They had merged with MCI and the company was regarded for being innovative and growth hungry. However, in the midst of all the mergers WorldCom CEO Bernard Ebberly began to mismanage the company. WorldCom was no longer meeting their numbers and it looked like stock prices would fall. Rather than letting this happen, executives at WorldCom doctored the books. CFO Scott Sullivan and auditors used accounting practices and judgments that were highly illegal and unethical (Mintzberg 2003). Over the course of its operations, WorldCom had successfully acquired a total of 65 companies, of which 11 were acquired between 1991 and 1997, and in that course accumulated around $41 billion in debt (Romar 2006). By the time it declared bankruptcy in 2002, the organization’s growth strategy through acquisitions, its loans to senior executives, and poor corporate governance contributed to the fall of the company. Through a series of fraudulent activities and unethical behavior, the company fell from a leader in the telecommunications industry to a company filing for bankruptcy. WorldCom’s financial executives used fraudulent accounting methods to present a false representation of the company’s financial stability. They hid various costs by capitalizing them by listing these costs as assets on their balance sheet instead of properly recording them on the income...
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...Running head: Review of Accounting Ethics 1 Review of Accounting Ethics Cynthia Harley Dr. Julie Hamm Acc 557 5/1/2014 Review of Accounting Ethics The WorldCom Scandal Vikalpa: The Journal For Decision Makers provides us with the following excerpt from WorldCom’s 2002 press release: CLINTON, Miss., June 25, 2002 –- WorldCom Inc. (Nasdaq: WCOM, MCIT) today announced that it intends to restate its financial statements for 2001 and the first quarter of 2002. As a result of an internal audit of the company’s capital expenditure accounting, it was determined that certain transfers from line cost expenses to capital accounts during this period were not made in accordance 2 with the generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP). The amount of these transfers was $3.055 billion for 2001 and $797 million for the first quarter of 2002. Without these transfers, the company’s reported EBITDA would be reduced to $6.339 billion for 2001 and $1.368 billion for the first quarter of 2002, and the company would have reported a net loss for 2001 and for the first quarter of 2002 (Pandey & Verma, 2004, p. 113). This information came at a time where the company had reached an all time high in the industry, second only to AT&T. The company originally started out as a small provider of long distance telephone service in Mississippi under the name LDDS and later changed its name to WorldCom. During the 1990’s the company took on an aggressive acquisition strategy acquiring the likes...
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...Corporate Scandals And Regulations February 18, 2014 Introduction In recent years there has been many different regulations that have been put into effect to avoid any more accounting scandals. Some scandals that has gotten worldwide attention would be scandals such as WorldCom, Enron and Avon. These regulations have been put in place to help investors and to prevent companies from being put in situations where a scandal could arise. Companies need to pay close attention and follow the regulations or there can be stiff penalties and consequences against both the employee and the company. There are debates on whether there should be more or less regulations regarding accounting and finance. Whether more or less regulations are put in place employees and companies need to make sure that the obey the regulations. Some of the regulations that have been put in place are the Securities Act of 1933 and 1934 and also the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977. Regulations I think that regulations need to be monitored and controlled better. I do not think that necessary more regulations need to be put in place. Just enacting more regulations does not do anything if they are not enforced and followed. I do not think that there is a need for more regulations but smarter regulations that are enforced. If there are too many regulations then some regulations can be overlooked which then defeats the purpose. Or if there are too many regulations people cannot keep track...
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...Accounting scandals CEO Bernard Ebbers became very wealthy from the rising price of his holdings in WorldCom common stock. However, in the year 2000, the telecommunications industry entered a downturn and WorldCom’s aggressive growth strategy suffered a serious setback when it was forced by the US Justice Department to abandon its proposed merger with Sprint in mid 2000. By that time, WorldCom’s stock was declining and Ebbers came under increasing pressure from banks to cover margin calls on his WorldCom stock that was used to finance his other businesses (timber and yachting, among others). During 2001, Ebbers persuaded WorldCom’s board of directors to provide him corporate loans and guarantees in excess of $400 million to cover his margin calls. The board hoped that the loans would avert the need for Ebbers to sell substantial amounts of his WorldCom stock, as his doing so would put further downward pressure in the stock's price. However, this strategy ultimately failed and Ebbers was ousted as CEO in April 2002 and replaced by John Sidgmore, former CEO of UUNet Technologies, Inc. Beginning modestly in mid-year 1999 and continuing at an accelerated pace through May 2002, the company (under the direction of Ebbers, Scott Sullivan (CFO), David Myers (Controller) and Buford "Buddy" Yates (Director of General Accounting)) used fraudulent accounting methods to mask its declining earnings by painting a false picture of financial growth and profitability to prop up the price...
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