Andrew Fastow, who helped engineer the financial trickery that sank Enron and then helped convict his former bosses in the scandal, last night had four years knocked off the plea deal he had made, receiving a six-year sentence instead.
US District Judge Ken Hoyt said the 44-year-old former Enron chief financial officer had given 'exceptional' assistance to prosecutors, had pledged to help victims and had shown remorse, and his wife had gone to prison for a year.
Fastow, who oversaw Enron's finances during the giant energy trader's spectacular rise and fall, pleaded guilty to fraud and conspiracy in 2004, agreeing to a 10-year sentence and pledging to help prosecutors. His testimony helped convict former Chairman Kenneth Lay and former CEO Jeffrey Skilling.
His voice breaking in an anguished statement before hearing his sentence, he expressed his shame, pledged to work for redemption and apologised to the victims of the Enron fraud and to his friends and family.
Enron's crash caused investors to lose billions and cost thousands of employees their jobs and retirement savings.
