Sherron Watkins was an Enron VP when she warned boss Ken Lay of an impending "implosion."
HOUSTON, Texas — Enron’s energy empire crumbled exactly 20 years ago in gleaming downtown towers that now house Chevron.
"It does not seem like two decades ago,” said former Enron VP Sherron Watkins.
Watkins had a fancy office on the 49th floor.
"And I am, for better or worse, known as the Enron whistleblower.”
In August of 2001, Watkins alerted Enron founder Ken Lay, first in an anonymous letter, of shady accounting practices and the threat of an impending “implosion."
By December 2, plummeting stock prices, anxious investors and some publicity resulted in bankruptcy.
“December 2, we’re three weeks away from Christmas, everyone’s usually in a great mood, you’re about to get maybe a Christmas bonus, spend time with family, holiday music is playing," said Watkins. "And 5,000 people get dumped on the street with nothing.”
“5000 people get dumped on the street with nothing.” Houston-based #Enron famously collapsed 20 years ago today. Former VP Sherron Watkins is known as the “whistleblower” who warned of impending implosion. More from my conversation with her: @KHOU at 10:00 #khou11 pic.twitter.com/kmqkZ0td5M
— Jason Miles (@JMilesKHOU) December 2, 2021
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