Jeff Skilling's son found dead: The Saga of Enron
Last Tuesday, John Taylor Skilling, the 20-year-old son of former Enron President Jeff Skilling was found dead in his Southern California apartment. Apparent cause of death is medication overdose (suicide) but investigations are underway to look into the cause.
Jeff Skilling, along with Kenneth Lay, a close friend of George W. Bush, , were credited with the explosive growth of the energy giant Enron, and then blamed for Enron's overnight demise and bankruptcy. As a result, tens of thousands of employees and investors lost their jobs and/or savings. Following a 4.5 year investigation, the Justice Department indicated Skilling and Lay. The two, known to be among shrewdest Corporate Executives in American history, with help from their super-expensive cast of lawyers defended themselves against charges in a lengthy trial. In 2006, Skilling was convicted of multiple federal felony charges relating to Enron's financial collapse, and sentenced to a 24-year prison term. He was serving his sentence at the Federal Correctional Institution in Englewood, Colorado, when he heard the news of his son's death.
But Ken Lay, shortly before serving his sentence, was reported dead at his vacation resort in Colorado, and his body was cremated and the ashes buried in a secret location in the mountains. There have been conspiracy theories surrounding his death, and some believe he is still alive. Former President George H. W. Bush attended a memorial for Lay in Houston, Texas.
The new of Skilling's son death while he is in prison, parallels that of an apparent suicide by Bernie Madoff's son in December. Bernie Madoff, former stock broker and investment advisor, was the operator of the largest Ponzi scheme in history (estimated as a $50 billion scheme). On December 10, 2008, Mark Madoff and his brother told authorities about their father's (Bernie's) Ponzi scheme, which lead to Bernie Madoff's arrest and indictment. Exactly two years later, Mark Madoff was found dead in his New York Apartment with his 2-year-old son asleep in another room (video below). The death was officially ruled a suicide but there are also many conspiracy theories about the incident. Bernie Madoff is currently serving his 150-year sentence sentence.
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