That probably just scratches the surface. Go back to some earlier financial scandals in the SW and you'll see them involved there, too.
Ground Zero of the banking scandal that brought down so many in our area, as well as other parts of the US, was Continental-Illinois. Guess where both Lea and Andy worked at the time.
They may have been too small-time to get caught, but perhaps they learned their lessons well there. There are all kinds of ant trails from there to "here" and a handful of people also known (well) to Ken Lay and probably to Skilling, too.
Then there was the S&L scandal which brought an entire financial industry to a close. Lea's family was intimately involved there (as were many Houston small fry, too). Most of them are honest as the day is long - I've worked with some and been friends with some, been to seders with some, but a couple of them aren't. Not sure where she fits or where Andy did.
Those trails even go back to the Sharpstown scandal and Watergate - in fact, it was Watergate that invoked the grocery and SEC investigations.
It would be easy to say that anyone in big business in TX/OK might've been touched by all of these (I was) - but when they just keep *happening* to several key players, it seems to be more than a coincidence.
They do have some powerful players on their side (L&A) - a well known subset of one of our most powerful allies.
Here's a song dedication for Lea and Andy, lol:
"Sympathy For the Devil"
Rolling Stones
Please allow me to introduce myself
I'm a man of wealth and taste
I've been around for a long, long year
Stolen many a man's soul and faith
And I was 'round when Jesus Christ
Had his moment of doubt and pain
Made damn sure that Pilate
Washed his hands and sealed his fate
Pleased to meet you
Hope you guess my name
But what's puzzling you
Is the nature of my game
I stuck around St. Petersberg
When I saw it was a time for a change
Killed the Czar and his ministers
Anastasia screamed in vain
I rode a tank
Held a general's rank
When the Blitzkrieg raged
And the bodies stank
Pleased to meet you
Hope you guess my name, oh yeah
What's puzzling you
Is the nature of my game, oh yeah
I watched with glee
While your kings and queens
Fought for ten decades
For the Gods they made
I shouted out
"Who killed the Kennedys?"
When after all
It was you and me
Let me please introduce myself
I'm a man of wealth and taste
And I laid traps for troubadors
Who get killed before they reached Bombay
(Entire lyrics at: http://www.mattsmusicpage.com/rollingstones/lsymp.htm)
Ground Zero of the banking scandal that brought down so many in our area, as well as other parts of the US, was Continental-Illinois. Guess where both Lea and Andy worked at the time.
My jaw just dropped practically in my lap as I read your post.
Both of the Fastow's were at Continental-Illinois when it failed? That was one of the biggest banking failures in the history of the U.S.
And I'm not surprised about the S & L involvement of her family. As you say, lots of people were involved in that.
I've read about her family's grocery store chain, the scandal, and the investigation by the SEC but haven't found a link for it for Ready for Freddie. I read about it, I think on the net, but it could have been elseware.
I know they were all friends of the Bushes, especially Ken Lay so that still doesn't explain the special treatment that the Fastows received.
Maybe the feds wanted to have a couple of big scapegoats and Lea wasn't unlikeable enough. Who can figure.