Jeff Skilling, Enron
For Years Jeff Skilling was celebrated as one of “The Smartest Guys in the Room.” But as questions began to mount about Enron’s accounting practices and earnings, Skilling and Enron began to fall apart. In an April 2001 conference call with analysts, Richard Grubman of Highfields Capital questioned the CEO about Enron’s lack of transparency. Skilling’s response: "You, you, you ... Well, uh ... thank you very much. We appreciate it ... asshole!" At his trial, Skilling said the outburst was the result of frustration. "The now infamous 'asshole' quote was used as an example of arrogance or something," he said. "It wasn't meant that way."
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