Former Enron accounting chief sentenced to 5 1/2 years in prison

HOUSTON -- Richard Causey, the last of the top Enron Corp. executives to learn his punishment, was sentenced yesterday to 5 1/2 years in prison for his role in one of the biggest corporate scandals in US history.

Causey, the energy trading company's former chief accounting officer, pleaded guilty in December to securities fraud two weeks before he was to be tried along with Enron founder Kenneth Lay and former chief executive Jeffrey Skilling on conspiracy, fraud, and other charges.

"There were improper things done at Enron. Some of those things were done by me. For that, I'm sorry," Causey said before US District Judge Sim Lake sentenced him. "As God is my witness, I never did anything intentionally to enrich myself or hurt the company or its employees."

After Causey, 46, serves his term, he will serve two years probation and pay a $25,000 fine that will be distributed to Enron's victims. Causey had already agreed to pay $1.25 million to the victims' fund and forfeited a claim to about $250,000 in deferred compensation.

"I'm confident you will come out and be a credit to your family," Lake said.

Causey's sentencing came less than a month after ex-CEO Skilling was sentenced to more than 24 years in prison. It also came a week after Andrew Fastow, Enron's former chief financial officer, was sentenced to six years.

Prosecutor Kathryn Ruemmler said the government could only recommend a modest reduction in sentence for Causey.

"Mr. Causey bore tremendous responsibility to Enron employees and investors," she said. "And he abrogated that responsibility and that caused harm to thousands of employees and investors."