This weekend papers reported that Enron had settled with California Attorney General Bill Lockyer for $1.5 billion, for its leading role in manipulating California energy and electricity markets in 2000-2001 leading to rolling brown-outs and devastation of the state's economy, although now the state still will need to collect from the bankrupt husk of the once high-flying Enron. Here's an excerpt from General Lockyer's release which refers to audio tapes of Enron traders bragging about their rip-off:

"On the tapes, the traders not only brazenly talk about exporting power and gaming the market, they spew profanity-laced boasts about bringing California to its knees, inflicting financial pain on "Grandma Millie" and Enron's influence with President Bush. Seeing profit in destruction, they express hope fires will torch California power lines, chanting, "Burn baby, burn." Additionally, the tapes indicate Enron's top two executives, Ken Lay and Jeff Skilling, had some knowledge of the market manipulation and received briefings on how it enriched the company."