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Plaintiffs' Memorandum of Law in Opposition to Motions to Dismiss ...

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Rap<strong>to</strong>rs were capitalized with Enron s<strong>to</strong>ck, and actual knowledge that, by recogniz<strong>in</strong>g revenue from<br />

hedges with a counterparty capitalized with Enron s<strong>to</strong>ck, Enron would be <strong>in</strong> reality recogniz<strong>in</strong>g<br />

revenue based on the appreciation <strong>of</strong> its own s<strong>to</strong>ck, <strong>in</strong> violation <strong>of</strong> GAAP. Ex. 26. In the last two<br />

quarters <strong>of</strong> 00, Enron recognized pre-tax earn<strong>in</strong>gs <strong>of</strong> $530 million on several transactions with the<br />

Rap<strong>to</strong>r entities out <strong>of</strong> reported pre-tax earn<strong>in</strong>gs <strong>of</strong> $650 million. These false earn<strong>in</strong>gs from the<br />

Rap<strong>to</strong>rs' manipulative and deceptive contrivances accounted for more than 80% <strong>of</strong> the <strong>to</strong>tal! 33.<br />

Hedg<strong>in</strong>g Enron's <strong>in</strong>vestments with the value <strong>of</strong> Enron's s<strong>to</strong>ck created an enormous and<br />

unusual motive for the participants <strong>in</strong> the scheme <strong>to</strong> keep Enron s<strong>to</strong>ck trad<strong>in</strong>g at <strong>in</strong>flated price levels.<br />

This was because if the value <strong>of</strong> Enron s<strong>to</strong>ck fell, the SPEs would be unable <strong>to</strong> meet their obligations<br />

and the "hedges" would fail. This happened <strong>in</strong> late 00 and early 01. In 12/00, Enron's ga<strong>in</strong> on these<br />

transactions was over $500 million. Enron could recognize these ga<strong>in</strong>s – <strong>of</strong>fsett<strong>in</strong>g correspond<strong>in</strong>g<br />

losses on the <strong>in</strong>vestments <strong>in</strong> its merchant portfolio – only if the Rap<strong>to</strong>rs had the capacity <strong>to</strong> make<br />

good on their debt <strong>to</strong> Enron. If they did not, Enron would be required <strong>to</strong> record a "credit reserve,"<br />

a loss that would defeat the very purpose <strong>of</strong> the Rap<strong>to</strong>rs, which was <strong>to</strong> shield Enron from reflect<strong>in</strong>g<br />

the decl<strong>in</strong>e <strong>in</strong> value <strong>of</strong> its merchant <strong>in</strong>vestments. 34.<br />

As year-end 00 approached, two <strong>of</strong> Enron's LJM2-f<strong>in</strong>anced Rap<strong>to</strong>r SPEs were <strong>in</strong> danger <strong>of</strong><br />

com<strong>in</strong>g unwound as they lacked sufficient credit capacity <strong>to</strong> support their obligations. If someth<strong>in</strong>g<br />

were not done <strong>to</strong> prevent the unw<strong>in</strong>d<strong>in</strong>g <strong>of</strong> these SPEs, Enron would have <strong>to</strong> take a multi-milliondollar<br />

charge aga<strong>in</strong>st earn<strong>in</strong>gs, which would expose the prior falsification <strong>of</strong> Enron's f<strong>in</strong>ancial results<br />

and result <strong>in</strong> Enron's s<strong>to</strong>ck price plung<strong>in</strong>g, more and more <strong>of</strong> the s<strong>to</strong>ck-issuance price "triggers"<br />

would be hit, and a vicious death-spiral would kick <strong>in</strong>. 35. The Board had notice <strong>of</strong> this potential<br />

crisis: Treasurer Ben Glisan <strong>in</strong>formed the F<strong>in</strong>ance Committee <strong>of</strong> the "significant <strong>in</strong>crease <strong>in</strong> the<br />

Company's guarantee portfolio." Ex. 27; 2/7/02 Committee Hear<strong>in</strong>g. Consequently, Enron<br />

restructured and capitalized the LJM2-f<strong>in</strong>anced Rap<strong>to</strong>r SPEs at year-end 00 by transferr<strong>in</strong>g <strong>to</strong> them<br />

rights <strong>to</strong> receive even more shares <strong>of</strong> Enron s<strong>to</strong>ck, creat<strong>in</strong>g ever-<strong>in</strong>creas<strong>in</strong>g pressure on Enron and<br />

the other participants <strong>in</strong> the scheme <strong>to</strong> support Enron's s<strong>to</strong>ck price. This artifice enabled Enron <strong>to</strong><br />

avoid record<strong>in</strong>g a huge credit reserve for the year ended 12/31/00. 35. Aga<strong>in</strong>, each <strong>of</strong> Enron's<br />

Outside Direc<strong>to</strong>rs knew about or had access <strong>to</strong> full <strong>in</strong>formation and was complicit <strong>in</strong> the scheme and<br />

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