The Informant: Subject Of Matt Damon Movie Speaks

April 23, 2012

His life story was so compelling  that Matt Damon portrayed him in a 2009 Warner Brothers movie. He was one of the top executives at one of the largest companies in the world. Making $3 million per year, living in a huge house with his wife. He was on top of the world.

Until his wife called the FBI.

Then, he discovered his real happiness behind bars in a federal prison — making not millions, but $20 a month.

Mark Whitacre, now 54, made history as the highest level corporate whistleblower  ever, working undercover with the FBI for years to expose a price fixing scheme at Archer Daniels Midland (ADM), a massive global food processing corporation.

“Society will give you a second chance and they will forgive you,” Whitacre said as he addressed a group of GED graduates and their fellow inmates at Century Correctional Institution. Whitacre is no stranger to being in prison; he spent nine years in federal prison after ADM accused him of embezzling $9 million while he was working as a FBI mole. “It is about redemption and second chances.”

In the early 1990’s, Whitacre’s wife began to notice that something was wrong with him. He fessed up, telling her about the price fixing scheme.

“I told her that it effects everyone that goes to the grocery store,” he said, “that we were stealing from them.” ADM makes food additives such as high fructose corn syrup and other products found in most of the processed foods in the average grocery store. “It was wealthy people taking advantage of poor people.”

“She turned me in,” Whitacre said, “within an hour to the FBI.”

In federal prison, he knew things had to change.

“I knew I had to come out different than I went in,” he said. “I came out better.”

A few months into his prison sentence, Whitacre said he made the decision to help his fellow inmates. Whitacre helped inmates obtain their GED certificates and their correspondence course college diplomas. He finally felt he was earning his keep in life, while making $20 a month behind bars — a far cry from that $3 million a year ADM salary.

“Helping people…I will continue that until I am gone,” he told the Century Correctional inmates.

There are three steps that all inmates need to take, he said….steps that can also be applied to those on the outside.

The first is taking personal responsibility and not blaming others for being in prison.

“I got everything I deserved; the 9.5 years were my fault,” he said. “I had a catch me if you can attitude. It took a stay at home mom to start the probe into the largest price fixing scheme in U.S. history….but it was all my fault.”

The second step is surrounding yourself with positive influences.

“Show me your friends, and I will show you your future,” he said.

The third step, he said, is giving back.

“There is nothing more rewarding than giving back in your community, even in prison.

Once released from prison, Whitarce went to work for the biotech company Cypress Systems, Inc., a company that is heavily involved in cancer research. He started at the bottom of the employment ladder and eventually worked his way up to his current position of chief operation officer and president of operations. He often speaks at FBI events and was the guest speaker in 2011 at the Quantico FBI Academy where he told his story of second chances.

As for his wife…they couple is still married. She is a recent teacher of the year at Warrington Middle School in Pensacola.

“I stand here as living proof,” he said to Century Correctional inmates, “that America does forgive and give you second changes. You can get your life back.”

Whitacre’s story was later made famous in the Warner Brothers movie “The Informant!” with Matt Damon was Whitacre.

For a previous story about the Century CI graduation, click here.

Pictured top: “The Informant” Mark Whitacre addresses GED graduates at Century Correctional Institution. Pictures top inset: Century Correctional inmates listen to Whitacre speak. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.

Comments

5 Responses to “The Informant: Subject Of Matt Damon Movie Speaks”

  1. David Huie Green on April 25th, 2012 5:41 am

    REGARDING:
    “I can’t help but notice when someone is being broadcasted to the world for their mistakes people chime in with their judgmental views.”

    Most people forgive mistakes. DECISIONS to prey on others deserve at least some condemnation as a reminder to others they are unacceptable. If you think about it, that is what this man was doing when he told a bunch of inmates how they could avoid future run-ins with the law.

    (“The first is taking personal responsibility and not blaming others for being in prison.”) In other words, don’t call your decisions to commit crimes “mistakes”.

    (“The second step is surrounding yourself with positive influences.) Or, don’t hang with criminals and expect to be crime-free.

    And the third regards helping others. Look at others as people deserving help, not prey to victimize. Isn’t that similar to what most of the comments say?

    Doing good things is interesting but SHOULD be expected of people, not a surprise. Advice from people who haven’t had problems with the law should be nearly as good as that from one who has.

    David for good advice

  2. thank you on April 24th, 2012 8:48 pm

    Thanks for such an inspiring article. This reminds me of an individual I heard speak at a rotary meeting. He told his testimony about being involved in the Healthsouth scandal in Alabama. He was making over a million a year by cooking the books. Once out of prison he could’t even get a job at Taco Bell, so he started his own lawn care business because he had a felony and nobody would give him a chance. I will say I’m not surprised at the low response to this article. I can’t help but notice when someone is being broadcasted to the world for their mistakes people chime in with their judgmental views. Week after week we have article after article of people being arrested for drugs, stealing, etc. and comment after comment is people bashing the individual like they’re an animal. It must be nice to be those individuals who have such a perfect, mistake free life. I always pray for the ones being attacked and the ones throwing the stones, praying that they’ll never have to make those mistakes or a family member make those mistakes. To be honest I’m actually surprised that some of the comments ever get posted. Thank you for such an uplifting article. I just wish those that were always so quick to throw stones at people and they’re mistakes would man up and post a comment about someone changing they’re life and helping make a difference in others.

  3. Molino resident on April 23rd, 2012 11:18 am

    I agree with you Bob. “Show me your friends and I will show you your future” glared at me too. So much truth in that one statement.

  4. Bob on April 23rd, 2012 8:35 am

    The one statement that glares at me from this article” Show me your friends and I will show you your future” It just might be that we can apply this to our life in a regular every day manner. What a compelling article.

  5. Vicki Baggett on April 23rd, 2012 5:46 am

    What an inspiring story! Thank you to Ms. Whitarce for doing what she knew to be right, and thank you, Mr. Whitarce for learning from your mistakes, taking the high road throughout, and sharing your experiences. Being responsible for our own actions can only lead to a greater fulfillment in life!

Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under FEATURE TOP STORY, Features, News