Enron Verdicts Stir Searches
After Enron executives Kenneth Lay and Jeffrey Skilling were found guilty on numerous counts of conspiracy and fraud, searches on the crooked businessmen shredded the Buzz.
Enron spiked in Search throughout key milestones in the epic scandal. But it’s been nearly three years since Enron’s collapse and six years since the company’s scandal appeared in the headlines. What does the Buzz say now that a jury has finally convicted the two top executives?
We looked to see where Enron searches buzzed the loudest. The top two metro areas for Enron searches are Houston, Texas (Enron’s former headquarters) and NYC (think Wall Street). In Houston, the city dealing with the most Enron fallout, “enron” (+31%) and “enron trial” (+35%) both spiked this week, as former backers of the collapsed company anticipated the jury’s decision.
Other searches making a post-verdict dent in Search included “what is wire fraud,” “andrew fastow,” “arthur andersen,” “enron stock,” and “insider trading.” Prosecutors say these guilty verdicts mark an end to a sad era in American business, but we’re sure scandals and big business will always lurk around the Buzz. Call it a hunch…
