Enron Corporation: Did It Relaunch Or Is It Just An Elaborate Prank? - Black Promoters Collective (BPC)
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Enron Corporation: Did It Relaunch Or Is It Just An Elaborate Prank?

December 3, 2024
Home > News > Enron Corporation: Did It Relaunch Or Is It Just An Elaborate Prank?

Enron, a multibillion-dollar company that became synonymous with corporate greed and mismanagement when it collapsed over two decades ago, appeared to make an unlikely comeback this week. But the shocking return of the infamous energy corporation appears to be part of an elaborate joke, with something more possibly coming soon.

After 23 years, Enron announces ‘we’re back’

On Monday, exactly 23 years after Enron filed for bankruptcy in 2001, the company appeared to relaunch its website as well as post to social media profiles on X, Instagram and TikTok. The surprise relaunch of the company appeared at first glance to acknowledge its scandalous reputation. The apparent relaunch includes a cryptic video announcing “we’re back” and depicting various people in different walks of life declaring “I am Enron.”

The company also posted a one-page press release, “Enron Corporation announces relaunch with a vision to solve global energy crisis.” The press release lists a number of corporate-sounding but vague principles, such as “adaptation as strength” and “forgiveness and progress,” announcing that “In 2024, Enron begins a new chapter.”

History of massive corporate fraud

This came as a surprise to many people, given the sordid history of the energy company. Enron, one of the largest companies in the United States at the time, filed for bankruptcy after executives engaged in massive mismanagement, misrepresenting the company’s profits while being paid millions of dollars. Notoriously, the company even encouraged many of its employees to invest their retirement savings in the company’s stock just before going bankrupt. The largest bankruptcy filing in U.S. history at the that point, the collapse of Enron led to multiple criminal convictions for two of Enron’s top executives and made the company a symbol of corporate wrongdoing — making it almost unbelievable that the company would try to resurrect its brand.

Enron’s return seems to be a joke, leading up to … something

It appears that Enron’s relaunch may be an elaborate joke. The Enron trademark was apparently purchased by The College Company in 2020 for $275. This company is owned by Connor Gaydos, most famous for being one of the people behind “Birds Aren’t Real,” an elaborate fake conspiracy theory that says that the U.S. government has replaced all birds with spy drones; the idea is meant to be absurd and poke fun at actual conspiracy theories. Enron’s sparse website offers hints that the relaunch is an elaborate joke. For example, under a section labeled, “Our values,” the name Enron is turned into an acronym, with a short paragraph for each “value”: Energy, Nurture, Repentant, Opportunity, Nice. The website also includes a store to buy Enron-branded clothing, hats, water bottles and other merchandise.

As of Tuesday afternoon, the company’s website featured a prominent countdown display; the countdown clock was set to hit zero on Tuesday, Dec. 10, just before 9 a.m. ET. Below the clock is a mailing list sign-up form with the heading “See What’s Next” and the following promise: “In 6 days, we have something very special to introduce to you.” Whether this relaunch is simply an elaborate joke or a promotion for something else, we will likely find out more soon.