Former WorldCom chief Bernard Ebbers sentenced

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(13 Jul 2005) • APTN • New York - July 13, 2005 • 1. US Federal courthouse building • 2. Former CEO of WorldCom Bernard Ebbers entering courthouse, jostling with photographers • 3. Exterior courthouse • APTN FILE • Virginia, USA - Date unknown • 4. Worldcom sign • 5. Close up Worldcom sign • POOL • Washington, D.C. - 8 July 2002 • 6. Wide shot Congressional hearing with Worldcom executives • 7. Medium shot Ebbers and others are sworn in • APTN FILE • Virginia, USA - Date unknown • 8. Worldcom sign • APTN • New York - 13 July, 2005 • 9. Ebbers leaving courthouse • 10. Ebbers surrounded by photographers, walking up steps into building • 11. SOUNDBITE (English) Reid Weingarten, Ebbers' defence lawyer : • I think an innocent man got sentenced today. I think the judge is a wonderful judge and I'm sure she tried to do what she thought was best. But the problem with this case from day was Bernie Ebbers was transformed into a symbol, a distorted picture of corporate corruption. That's not Bernie Ebbers. The record is uncontradicted, this is a man who has lived a life that is unblemished. He's lived a life of unbelievable charity and kindness and compassion and somehow that didn't fit in to this picture of the greedy, corrupt public, or corporate official. It made us crazy. • 12. Lawyer surrounded by media • 13. SOUNDBITE (English) Henry J. Bruen, former WorldCom salesman: • I thought it was, in effect, a life sentence for him. I thought it was a good sentence because it sends a message that hopefully this type corporate behaviour and misconduct is not going to be tolerated in corporate America.' • 14. Bruen speaking to reporters • STORYLINE: • Bernard Ebbers, who as the CEO of WorldCom oversaw the largest corporate fraud in US history, wept in court in New York on Wednesday when a judge sentenced him to twenty-five years in prison. • It is the toughest sentence yet in the string of recent corporate scandals. • Ebbers, now 63, would go to prison in October and not be eligible for release until he was 85. • The sentence was handed down by Judge Barbara Jones of US District Court in Manhattan, three years after WorldCom collapsed in an $11 (b) billion (euro9 (b) billion) accounting fraud, wiping out (b) billions of investor dollars. • Judge Jones ordered Ebbers to report to prison on Oct. 12. She said she would recommend Ebbers be designated to the federal prison in Yazoo City, Mississippi, close to his home. • The judge said she would accept written arguments from the lawyers on whether Ebbers should be allowed to remain free while he appeals the verdict. • Defence lawyer Reid Weingarten had asked for leniency, mentioning Ebbers' heart condition and his charitable works, cited repeatedly in 169 letters sent to the judge. He described Ebbers as a modest man and an angel to many desperate charitable causes. • Ebbers is the first of six former WorldCom executives and accountants facing sentencing this summer. The other five all pleaded guilty and agreed to cooperate against their former boss. • WorldCom remains the largest of the corporate frauds that began making headlines with the fall of Enron Corp. in late 2001. • • Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork • Twitter: / ap_archive • Facebook: / aparchives • Instagram: / apnews • • • You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...

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