Enron Corporation was an energy company founded in Omaha, Nebraska. The company chose Houston, Texas, to house its headquarters and employed approximately 20,000 people. It was one of the largest suppliers of natural gas and electricity in the United States, and indeed the world. In the 1990s, Enron was widely considered a highly innovative and financially booming company, with shares trading at around $90 at their peak. Little did the public know, the company's success was a gigantic lie, and perhaps the greatest example of white-collar crime in business history. The roots of the lies begin with former Enron CEO Kenneth Lay. This man helped bring together a number of smaller energy companies, including InterNorth International and Houston Natural Gas Corporation, through horizontal mergers to form Enron Corporation. Lay fought for the deregulation of natural gas and electricity, which would open up opportunities for enormous profits in the industry. In 1994, states were given the option of deregulating these utilities, meaning customers could choose their utility provider instead of being cornered by a single company. Enron had subsidiaries that supplied energy throughout the country, while also being involved in international trade. When the company appeared poised for significant revenue gains, Lay, then CEO, promised investors annual gains of fifteen percent. That’s when the company began a downward spiral from which it never seemed to recover. Only seven states moved to deregulate electricity markets in 1997, for which Enron Corporation spent millions of dollars lobbying. Without more states opting for deregulation, the opportunity for the company to realize massive profit gains presents itself...... middle of paper ......ord, Krysten. “Lay Surrenders to the Authorities.” CNN Money (2004): n. page. Internet. .Enron: the smartest guys in the room. Real. Alex Gibney. 2005. Online. “The Fall of Enron”. NPR (nd): n. page. NPR. Internet. .Kurtz, Howard. “The Enron story waiting to be told.” The Washing Post, nd Web. .Lashinsky, Adam. “Enron Online.” The Street (2000): n. page. Internet. .McLean, Bethany. “Is Enron too expensive? » Money CNN. Np, and Web. .Seabury, Chris. “Enron: The Fall of a Wall Street Darling.” Investopedia. Np and Web. .