Comments on: Dennis Kozlowski: Prisoner 05A4820

Morley Safer Speaks With The Ex-Tyco Chief Behind Bars

[sevantex]

From everything I've read, especially the views of those posting comments. It's always easy and best to point the finger when the spotlight is not on you. He never ran the corporation into debt, he in fact took it from $40 Million to $40 Billion in assets.
This is an argument that only those that are creating wealth would understand. I think before you judge from a poor persons mentality, you need to walk, deal with the trials and tribulations of a rich man gone through the storm!

[ditkoff]

Tyco lost $9 billion in 2002, after its phony earnings were restated, and the stock dropped from $60 to under $10 - it's now around $30 - after Kozlowski spent millions of dollars of the shareholders' money to buy and decorate a "Tyco" condo in New York that was strictly for his own personal use. So shareholders lost billions while he feathered his nest with their money. None of this came out in Morley Safer's puff piece on the poor, misunderstood Mr. Kozlowski. The only injustice here is that he gets to do his time at Mid-State, instead of Attica, where there are a lot of men who stole less and harmed fewer innocent people than he did.

[bretmc1]

He%u2019s probably innocent . . . of the crime that is . . .

What is so sad is that someone could so devote their life money. People in the world are starving and this guy blows $2 million on a birthday party.

Why not give your life to helping others? What if this guy made it his mission to make billions so that he could feed, clothe and care for the poor? That would be admirable. What he did is just plain sin.

Jesus calls us to mission.

Blessings,

Bret

[fudgebrowni3]

I am an African-American female who has worked all my life,dreaming of one day becoming a rich woman, but I would never steal anything to become rich. I sympathize with such a smart wheel and deal a day man who worked his way up the ranks to the top and lose it all because he didn't use his head. And why is it that men are so weak for women? Iam sure the fast talking beauty dazzled his brains, and just wanted to please her with riches and gold,now she is gone.Poor woman have no attention of standing by her mind. Growing up in Jersey didn't teach you about so call friends and women that loves you for what they can get? However, the damage has been done. Don't be mean toward other women,just be careful.The Birthday party is what landed you in jail and the $6,000. shower curtain.Did your wife order them?I dont believe you would take from your company unless it was allowed, unless you were otherwise disingaged.
Did I hear Morley say you are broke or will be broke soon? I can't afford to give anyone a dime,I will be paying "Student Loan for the rest of my life, B ut I can send 20.00 a month to help Dennis buy his toiletry or whatever he needs. let me know. You just don,t throw a smart man in jail and forget him. It is the time of Christ's death and Rising. He told stories that fit Dennis's despairty of life, when he was on earth.Pray that Dennis will win his appeal and learn from his mistakes.I have compassion for Dennis and if I can help. Let me know.fudgebrowni3

[fudgebrowni3]

I am an African-American female who has worked all my life,dreaming of one day becoming a rich woman, but I would never steal anything to become rich. I sympathize with such a smart wheel and deal a day man who worked his way up the ranks to the top and lose it all because he didn't use his head. And why is it that men are so weak for women? Iam sure the fast talking beauty dazzled his brains, and just wanted to please her with riches and gold,now she is gone.Poor woman have no attention of standing by her mind. Growing up in Jersey didn't teach you about so call friends and women that loves you for what they can get? However, the damage has been done. Don't be mean toward other women,just be careful.The Birthday party is what landed you in jail and the $6,000. shower curtain.Did your wife order them?I dont believe you would take from your company unless it was allowed, unless you were otherwise disingaged.
Did I hear Morley say you are broke or will be broke soon? I can't afford to give anyone a dime,I will be paying "Student Loan for the rest of my life, B ut I can send 20.00 a month to help Dennis buy his toiletry or whatever he needs. let me know. You just don,t throw a smart man in jail and forget him. It is the time of Christ's death and Rising. He told stories that fit Dennis's despairty of life, when he was on earth.Pray that Dennis will win his appeal and learn from his mistakes.I have compassion for Dennis and if I can help. Let me know.fudgebrowni3

[lizardbate]

Kozlowski, rot in that prison cell!!!!!! For what you ripped off your workers, you ought to be hung like Saddam. You're no better!!!!

[simmsher]

I really feel for Dennis. How sad to find out the hard way who your friends really are. I wish the other greedy folks out there would stop a moment, take a deep breath and remember what is really important in life. Others!

[jbkaufmann]

I feel it's important to distinguish the various kinds of white collar fraud, which this 60M piece fails to do. Although I'm probably not as conversant with the Martha Stewart case as I should be, my recollection is that she in no way looted her company, nor stole from anyone else, whether it be $100m from one corporation or $1 from 100m individuals. I also feel that any corporate board which fails to oversee the kind of disbursement of company funds we heard about Sunday last should be legally liable, both criminally and civilly. These guys were much more than mere enablers.
Mr. Kosloski is wrong to feel that most people rejoice when others of important standing such as himself fall short. Again, my recollection is that the jury which convicted him struggled with the verdict. It was no "star chamber."

[bullwinklesf]

I worked for Dennis for more than 20 years and really enjoyed going to work every day. Tyco ran a lean shop but empowered employees to make decisions and find the best solutions. Like he said, they were a "pay for performance" company. Dennis was well-respected by his employees...until he went over the edge. His womanizing and extravagance was known throughout the company, especially after the purchase of ADT. He sold out my division when he purchased a related company and then turned control over to them - a very poor corporate fit. Many of my colleagues lost their jobs as soon as they trained their successors. I'd like a few minutes of one-on-one time with Dennis myself! I think the "street kid" in him will help him survive his present circumstances and I'm sorry to see how far he fell but he let things get out of hand. We often said we thought he should slow down and let things settle before approving more acquisitions. The entire organization was pushed to the limit - which relates to his point that he didn't have the proper infrastructure in place. They say hind sight is 20/20. (no pun intended)

[raithel1]

I watched and was disappointed to not hear the questions that we ALL want answered. He should have been asked -
If you could do it all over again, would you change the way that you were president of Tyco?
If you could get out of jail right now BUT had to give away all of your wealth, would you do it?
If you could get out of jail right now AND you had a cap on what you could own and earn for the rest of your life, would you do it?
If getting out of jail right now meant that you would be a minimum wage earner for the rest of your life and ONLY be an apartment renter, would you do it?
I bet that he would have a hard time answering these questions AND would not immediately agree to a Get Out Of Jail deal. Even though, it would strictly be a theoretical question, he couldn't just agree to any of these propositions because he loves money more than life.
- Marvin

[gtabchil]

I beleave that your not guilty. Alot of jurors have been wrong. We are all human and make mistakes. No one should judge you because of your money, maybe those who are broke find it a little easier to dog you for how you spent your money, but I wonder what they would do if they had 100 million in a year?

[godi70]

I have compassion for this guy, its easy for me to say because his actions didnt affect my family and he definately made mistakes..should put his wife in jail in my opinion..giving this guy 8 - 25 years or whatever is a death sentance.
Taking him down to the level he is at, at this point believe me is punishment enough,

[headeast1976]

I have compassion for this guy, its easy for me to say because his actions didnt affect my family and he definately made mistakes..should put his wife in jail in my opinion..giving this guy 8 - 25 years or whatever is a death sentance.
Taking him down to the level he is at, at this point believe me is punishment enough, I know everyone thinks every crime against them, you should lock the person up and throw away the key but this guy did many good things in his life and worked his *** off to get where he was.. he did take advantage of his power and he should pay but not with the remainder of his life.
I wish him the best in his appeal, 1 year in jail and some sort of restitution, he is no threat to society and it does no good to lock this guy up

[jpam3]

I think Morley missed a good question that was c ritical. Like, Dennis, did you have a "moral Compass". Didn't you grow up in the church and go to confessions?

Morley also missed the point that Koz's missdeeds are much more akin to the Rigg's "father and son" rigging team in Adelphia where they raped the company. Morley let Koz off the hook as Koz was compared to Enron and World Com.

I have serious reservations about CBS. CBS, in my opinion, crossed the line by allowing/and or enabling a criminal to profit through writing a book or publicizing criminal behavior before the book..But selling the book.

[kated7]

Dennis, if it wasn't for the birthday party for your sleazy wife, you probably would have gotten at least a hung jury...that video blew it!

[sahlf1]

When Tyco took over your company (personal experience) a certain type of greed determined what products were profitable enough to keep and therefore which personnel to keep. Buildings were closed, jobs moved to China, the typical sort of stuff these days. The reason these things were done was to increase profit. So far, so good, right? After all, this is America where people don't matter, just money. The problem I have with it is that the profit went to have better apartments, better parties and not just to return money to the investors. It bothers me to see 1000 people laid off from productive (although not as productive as it could be) jobs, just so Fat Cats can get fatter. Immoral, I think so. Illegal, I doubt it. Otherwise the whole board of directors at the time he was "in power" should be along side Dennis in adjoining cells.

He may have done nothing illegal and so far it hasn't been proved. But immoral salaries and actions to pursue the dollar are considered legal in all fifty states.

PS. I still want a raise this year.

[Le Gai Savant]

Gee, whatever happened to journalistic ethics? You do a story on a crook, and agree that you will talk only to him, and not to anyone else. Whatever happened to getting both sides of the story? How can you let a convicted crook appeal for sympathy without at least presenting the side of the people he bilked and the prosecutor who brought him to justice? This isn't news, it's pandering.

[jazz2kok]

Hey Dennis
Don't feel bad about being caught every dog has its day. That goes for the good, the bad, and the ugly and don't forget those who think, that their *** doesnt stink. I don't hear you bleeding heart clowns talking about his low down wife. I guess she was in it for love? Yeah right and she probably cleaned house by now. Oh were are the self rightoues now? Think she didn't play a role in spending the piggy bank? Of course your going to find an excuses for her, she's your typical chick. Hey we ALL have done dirt, that includes everybody. Everybody has a date remember that, so don't go shouting off just because you havent been caught yet? Hang in the Big Den... take it one day at a time, soon this will be over with. Hey folks, he didn't get to the top without thinking about a rainy day, give him some credit. Smile Big D... there is some light at the end of the tunnel. relax, sit tight and smile...

[mtnman818]

"I was a guy sitting in a courtroom who made $100 million a year. And I think a juror sitting there just would have to say, 'All that money, he musta done somethin' wrong.' I think it's as you know, it's as simple as that," he says.

Outrageous! You insult the jury and make a mockery of the judicial system.

I did not sit through the trial or follow it, but the jurors did.

They found you sir, GUILTY beyond a reasonable doubt.

Look to yourself for the reason you'll spend the rest of your life behind bars, don't lay the blame for your crimes at the feet of the jurors.

[mtnman818]

"I was a guy sitting in a courtroom who made $100 million a year. And I think a juror sitting there just would have to say, 'All that money, he musta done somethin' wrong.' I think it's as you know, it's as simple as that," he says.

Outrageous! You insult the jury and make a mockery of the judicial system.

I did not sit through the trial or follow it, but the jurors where, and did.

They found you sir GUILTY beyond a reasonable doubt.

Look to yourself for the reason you'll spend the rest of your life behind bars