Ebbers 'drove Worldcom fraud' - Sullivan

I told Bernie, 'This isn't right'

By Tim Richardson, 9th February 2005

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Former WorldCom CFO Scott Sullivan continued yesterday to finger Bernie Ebbers as being the driving force behind the £11bn (£5.8bn) accounting scandal that floored the telecoms giant.

Testifying for the second day, Sullivan - who has already pleaded guilty for his part in the fraud - said that ex-chief exec Ebbers failed to heed his advice not to fiddle with the telco's figures.

Ebbers was eager to hit high growth rates, according to Sullivan, who said he recalled telling Ebbers that the only way he could do this was by manipulating the figures.

"I told Bernie, 'This isn't right,'" he said, the New York Times reports.

Ebbers replied: "We have to hit our numbers," Sullivan said.

Sullivan then told financial controller David Myers, who has already testified in the trial, to make the necessary changes that led to the £11bn (£5.8bn) fraud.

Ebbers denies the fraud charges. ®

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