Call it the sleeper corporate fraud...

National Century Financial Enterprises never got the publicity of a WorldCom, Health South or Enron. But there's nothing minor about the $1.5 billion fraud allegedly perpetrated by company executives prior to National Century's fall in 2002 (the firm declared bankruptcy in 2004).

Two former National Century owners and three execs go on trial Monday in Columbus, Ohio. One exception is former CEO Lance Poulsen. His fraud trial starts in August. But before then he'll have to answer to charges of witness tampering. That trial starts in March.

Here are a few more case-related stats via the AP.

-- MDT

Labels: Fraud, Lance Poulsen, National Century, trial

Five motions, actually - in five days. All attempting to pick away at the government's case against the firm. Similar moves from the firm in the past haven't found much success with U.S. District Judge John Walter, who is presiding over the kickback trial of the mega-plaintiff firm. Better luck this time? We'll see. Details on the most recent Milberg motions can be found at Law.com.

-- MDT

Labels: dismissal, kickbacks, Milberg, Milberg Weiss, trial

Whatever happens, Nacchio may still face civil charges, but a not guilty verdict in his criminal trial won't exactly help the SEC's case. A great recap of the trial and a day-by-day summary can be found here, at The Denver Post.

Also, don't forget that The Race to the Bottom has been covering the trial closely. You might want to catch up with their coverage.

-- MDT

Labels: corporate scandal, corruption, Joe Nacchio, trial, verdict