Ebbers guilty over $11bn WorldCom fraud

A jury had found Bernie Ebbers, the former head of WorldCom, guilty of the biggest accounting fraud in history over his role in the firm's $11 billion collapse. After deliberating for eight days, the New York jury found Ebbers guilty on nine counts, one each of conspiracy and securities fraud and seven of false regulatory filings. He faces a possible 85 years in jail when sentenced on June 13. Ebbers had claimed that he knew nothing of the fraud going on in his company and had little knowledge of financial matters, something Assistant US Attorney William F Johnson called the "aw shucks" defense.