Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

Enron 2.0: Next chapter in GE's history is chapter 11

In a 175-page report posted online, forensic accountant Harry Markopolos and his fraud team allege that GE is committing $38 billion in accounting fraud. The man himself, Harry Markopolos, joined The Final Round to discuss. Markopolos -whose research on GE is allegedly being used by a hedge fund that reportedly shorts the industrial giant’s stock- dubs the company “GEnron.” GE Stock Plunges on that Suspicious $38 Billion Fraud 'Bombshell'

Markopolos is dusting off the legendary whistle he blew on Ponzi schemer Bernie Madoff years ago and is now tooting it out front of GE’s Boston-based headquarters... and the world at large. In a scathing new 170-plus page research report, the financial fraud expert and certified financial analyst (CFA) alleges GE is committing accounting fraud.

“I believe I have a few smoking guns on GE,” Markopolos told Yahoo Finance’s The Final Round, adding that information was held back from the report for law enforcement. He added that it took seven and half months to complete the report and it was “self-funded.”

Markopolos said the next chapter for GE is Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

Several allegations from Markopolos’ report includes:

    GE has committed a $38 billion fraud primarily by hiding losses.

    GE will not be cash flow positive by 2021 as executives have suggested.

    GE is not liquid right now.

    A recession could tip GE into Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

Suffice it to say, GE sees it a vastly different way.

GE declined to make any member of its executive team available for an interview by Yahoo Finance. But a GE spokesperson moved quickly to downplay Markopolos’ findings and play up his motivations (reportedly to get paid by the short hedge funds that wanted his research) via an email to Yahoo Finance this morning.

“We have never met, spoken to or had contact with this person. While we can’t comment on the detailed content of a report that we haven’t seen, the allegations we have heard are entirely false and misleading. It’s widely known and the Wall Street Journal has previously reported that he works for and is compensated by unnamed hedge funds. Such funds are usually financially motivated to try to generate short selling in a company’s stock to create unnecessary volatility,” the GE spokesperson said by email.

The person continued, “GE stands behind its financials. We operate to the highest-level of integrity in our financial reporting and we have clearly laid out our financial obligations in great detail. We remain focused on running our business every day and following the strategic path we have laid out. We will not be distracted by this type of meritless, misguided and self-serving speculation and neither should anyone in the investor community.”

“GE continues to maintain a strong liquidity position, committed credit lines, and several executable options to monetize assets,” the spokesperson added.

GE then came out Thursday afternoon with a statement from its chairman and CEO Larry Culp.

“GE will always take any allegation of financial misconduct seriously. But this is market manipulation — pure and simple. Mr. Markopolos’s report contains false statements of fact, and these claims could have been corrected if he had checked them with GE before publishing the report. The fact that he wrote a 170-page paper but never talked to company officials goes to show that he is not interested in accurate financial analysis, but solely in generating downward volatility in GE stock so that he and his undisclosed hedge fund partner can personally profit,” Culp said.

Markopolos told Yahoo Finance that he didn’t reach out to GE because he “didn’t want to engage in a cover up. Who wants to talk to fraudsters,” he added, noting that GE’s financial statements were used to compile the report. “We used their words against them.”

The Wall Street analysts that cover GE — which Markopolos says have been duped by GE’s accounting practices for years — were slow to weigh in on the report. One analyst at Barclays did wade slightly into the muck, saying Markopolos’ research was concerning.

“The bottom line is he estimates GE still has a $18.5 billion shortfall in its LTC [long-term care] reserves. We are not currently in a position to say whether that estimate is reasonable, although it is certainly concerning,” said Barclays analyst Jay Gelb in a research note.

GE shares plunged more than 12% on the news Thursday.

AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
U.S. and Hungarian Officials Talk About Economic Collaboration and Sanctions Strategy
Technology Giants Activate Lobbying Campaigns Against Strict EU Regulations
Pope Francis Admitted to Hospital in Rome Amid Increasing Speculation on Succession
Zelensky Calls on World Leaders to Back Peace as Tensions Rise with Trump
UK Leader Keir Starmer Calls for US Security Guarantee in Ukraine Peace Deal
NATO Chief Urges Higher Defense Expenditure in Europe
The negotiation teams of Trump and Putin meet directly, establishing the groundwork for a significant advancement.
Rubio Touches Down in Riyadh Before Key U.S.-Russia Discussions
Students in Serbian universities Unite to Hold Coordinated Protests for Accountability.
US State Department Removes Taiwan Independence Statement from Website
Abolishing opposition won't protect Germany from Nazism—this is precisely what led Germany to become Nazi!
Transatlantic Gold Rush: Traders Shift Bullion in Response to Tariff Anxieties and Market Instability
Bill Ackman Backs Uber as the Company Shifts Towards Profitability
AI Titans Challenge Nvidia's Supremacy in Light of New Chip Innovations
US and Russian Officials to Meet in Saudi Arabia Over Ending Ukraine Conflict. Ukraine and European leaders – who profit from this war – excluded from the negotiations.
Macron Calls for Urgent Summit as Ukraine Conflict Business Model is Threatened
Trump’s Defense Secretary: Ukraine Won’t Join NATO or Regain Lost Territories
Zelensky Urges Europe to Bolster Its Military in Light of Uncertain US Backing
Chinese Zoo Confesses to Dyeing Donkeys to Look Like Zebras
Elon Musk is Sherlock Holmes - Movie Trailer Parody featuring Donald Trump's Detective
Trump's Greenland Suggestion Sparks Sovereignty Discussions Amid Historical Grievances
OpenAI Board Dismisses Elon Musk's Offer to Acquire the Company.
USAID Uncovered: American Taxpayer Funds Leveraged to Erode Democracy in Europe Until Trump Put a Stop to It.
JD Vance and Scholz Did Not Come Together at the Munich Security Conference.
EU Official Participates in Discussions in Washington Amid Trade Strains
Qatar Contemplates Reducing French Investments Due to PSG Chief Investigation
Germany's Green Agenda Encounters Ambiguity Before Elections
Trump Did Not Notify Germany's Scholz About His Ukraine Peace Proposal.
Munich Car Attack Escalates Migration Discourse Before German Elections
NATO Allies Split on Trump's Proposal for 5% Defense Spending Increase
European Parliament Advocates for Encrypted Messaging to Ensure Secure Communications
Trump's Defense Spending Goal Creates Division Among NATO Partners
French Prime Minister Bayrou Navigates a Challenging Path Amid Budget Preservation and Immigration Discourse
Steering Through the Updated Hierarchy at the European Commission
Parliamentarian Calls for Preservation of AI Liability Directive
Mark Rutte Calls on NATO Allies to Increase Defence Expenditures
Dresden Marks the 80th Anniversary of the World War II Bombing.
Global Community Pledges to Aid Syria's Political Transition
EU Allocates €200 Billion for AI Investments, Introduces €20 Billion Fund for Gigafactories
EU Recognizes Its Inability to Close the USAID Funding Shortfall Due to Stalled US Aid
Commission President von der Leyen Missing from Notre Dame Reopening Due to Last-Minute Cancellation
EU Officializes Disinformation Code for Online Platforms, Omitting X
EU Fails to Fully Implement Key Cybersecurity Directives
EU Under Fire for Simplification Discussions Regarding Corporate Sustainability Reporting
Shein Encountering Further Information Request from the EU During Ongoing Investigation
European Commission Initiates Investigation into Shein as It Aims at Chinese E-Commerce Regulations
German Officials Respond to U.S. Proposal for Peace Talks with Russia
Senate Approves Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as Secretary of Health and Human Services.
Trump and Putin Engage in Discussions on Ukraine Peace Negotiations Amid Worldwide Responses
Honda and Nissan End Merger Talks
×