Enron and Derivatives

32 Pages Posted: 28 Feb 2002

See all articles by Frank Partnoy

Frank Partnoy

University of California, Berkeley - School of Law

Abstract

This paper was written in response to a request by the United States Senate Committee on Governmental Affairs for testimony on Enron's involvement in financial derivatives. The paper argues that Enron essentially was a derivatives trading firm, not an energy firm. It explains the transactions Enron used to generate false profits and to hide losses, and the failure of Enron's internal controls with respect to derivatives trading. It also addresses the question of why key gatekeepers - including banks, accounting firms, law firms, and credit rating agencies - failed to uncover information about these transactions and control failures. The paper is based on interviews of current and former Enron employees, and on a review of key Enron documents.

Suggested Citation

Partnoy, Frank, Enron and Derivatives. Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=302332 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.302332

Frank Partnoy (Contact Author)

University of California, Berkeley - School of Law ( email )

215 Boalt Hall
Berkeley, CA 94720-7200
United States

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