WorldCom was a telecommunications company based in the United States, known for providing long-distance phone services and internet access. Founded in 1983, it grew rapidly through a series of mergers and acquisitions, becoming one of the largest telecom companies in the world by the late 1990s. In 2002, WorldCom became infamous for one of the largest accounting scandals in U.S. history, revealing that the company had inflated its assets by nearly $11 billion. This led to bankruptcy, significant job losses, and legal repercussions for executives, including Bernard Ebbers, the CEO at the time.