Mark Whitacre
Mark Whitacre | |
---|---|
Born | Mark Edward Whitacre Birth date -1st March 1966 Morrow, Ohio, U.S. |
Nationality | American |
Alma mater | Ohio State University, Cornell University |
Occupation | Business executive, whistleblower |
Known for | Whistleblower in the Lysine price-fixing conspiracy |
Spouse(s) | Ginger Gilbert |
Children | 3 |
Mark Edward Whitacre (born May 1, 1957) is an American business executive and whistleblower who is best known for his role in uncovering the Lysine price-fixing conspiracy in the mid-1990s. Whitacre was a high-level executive at Archer Daniels Midland (ADM) and became a cooperating witness for the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in one of the largest price-fixing cases in U.S. history.
Early Life and Education[edit | edit source]
Mark Whitacre was born in Morrow, Ohio. He attended Ohio State University, where he earned a bachelor's degree in animal science. He later obtained a Ph.D. in nutritional biochemistry from Cornell University.
Career[edit | edit source]
Whitacre began his career at Ralston Purina before joining Archer Daniels Midland (ADM) in 1989. At ADM, he quickly rose through the ranks to become the president of the BioProducts Division.
Whistleblowing and Legal Issues[edit | edit source]
In 1992, Whitacre became involved in the Lysine price-fixing conspiracy, where ADM and other companies colluded to fix the price of lysine, an essential amino acid used in animal feed. Whitacre decided to become a whistleblower and approached the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Over the next three years, he worked undercover, recording conversations and gathering evidence against ADM and other companies involved in the conspiracy.
In 1995, the FBI raided ADM's headquarters, leading to the indictment of several executives. Whitacre's role as a whistleblower was initially praised, but it was later revealed that he had embezzled $9 million from ADM during the same period. As a result, he was sentenced to nine years in federal prison for embezzlement, tax evasion, and fraud.
Later Life[edit | edit source]
After serving his sentence, Whitacre was released from prison in 2006. He has since become a motivational speaker and an advocate for corporate ethics and whistleblower protection. He is also the subject of the book The Informant by Kurt Eichenwald, which was later adapted into a film of the same name starring Matt Damon.
Personal Life[edit | edit source]
Whitacre is married to Ginger Gilbert, and they have three children. He currently resides in Greenville, South Carolina.
Related Pages[edit | edit source]
- Archer Daniels Midland
- Lysine price-fixing conspiracy
- Whistleblower
- Federal Bureau of Investigation
- The Informant (book)
- The Informant (film)
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