Kenneth Lay

Kenneth Lay was an American businessman best known for founding and leading Enron Corporation, a major energy company. Under his leadership, Enron grew quickly and became highly regarded, but later, it was revealed that the company engaged in widespread accounting fraud to hide financial problems. This misconduct led to one of the biggest corporate scandals in U.S. history, causing the company's collapse in 2001, and resulting in financial losses for investors and employees. Lay was convicted of fraud and conspiracy but died in 2006 before serving his prison sentence. His case is often cited as a cautionary tale about corporate ethics and oversight.