# Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room Were Lying - Part 1: The First Clean Lie

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-fraud-archive-iconic-cons-scams-and-financial-crimes-explained-in-minutes-7902903/enron-the-smartest-guys-in-the-room-were-lying-part-1-the-first-clean-lie
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-fraud-archive-iconic-cons-scams-and-financial-crimes-explained-in-minutes-7902903/enron-the-smartest-guys-in-the-room-were-lying-part-1-the-first-clean-lie.md
Podcast: [The Fraud Archive – Iconic Cons, Scams and Financial Crimes explained in minutes](https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-fraud-archive-iconic-cons-scams-and-financial-crimes-explained-in-minutes-7902903)
Published: 2026-07-06T17:00:00+00:00
Episode link: https://shows.acast.com/the-fraud-archive/episodes/enron-setup
Audio file: https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/6a24720b250fa4918b1f9c64/e/6a26880b48dd4e9689899604/media.mp3
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Duration seconds: 341

## Resource

In the beginning, Enron did not look like a crime scene. It looked like the future. But hidden inside that rise was a small, clean lie. And once that lie worked, the rest became possible.In the late nineteen eighties, Enron still fit the old picture of an energy company. It had pipes, contracts, and a business tied to natural gas. Then deregulation changed everything. Markets opened. Traders gained influence. Wall Street began rewarding speed, sophistication, and the promise of cleverness.Learn more at: https://thefraudarchive.com/fraud/enron The Fraud Archive is part of The Archive Network by Jonkai Ventures, a collection of podcasts dedicated to exploring history's greatest cons, scams, and financial crimes. Support the podcast and access exclusive content on Patreon: https://thearchivenetwork.com/support Discover more archives and stories: https://thearchivenetwork.com Explore this archive: https://thefraudarchive.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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