If you’ve ever felt frustrated by a corporation putting profits over people, you’re not alone. Companies chasing the bottom line often cross ethical boundaries, sometimes leaving scandals, financial disasters, or even environmental catastrophes in their wake. While some greed stories are minor missteps, others have shaped entire industries or nations, showing how far some will go in the pursuit of wealth.
It’s easy to point fingers at today’s corporate giants, but greed in business is far from a modern invention. From monopolies of the Gilded Age to the oil barons of the 20th century, history is littered with companies that took ambition to the extreme, often at great human or environmental cost. What’s worse? Some of these companies continue to operate today, raking in billions while controversies swirl around them.
We’ll address the obvious elephant in the room: not every successful company is inherently greedy, and in some cases, their transgressions were products of their time. But the stories below show how unchecked ambition can have far-reaching consequences. Here are 14 of the greediest companies in history and the scandals that cemented their place on this list.
1. Standard Oil
Standard Oil, founded by John D. Rockefeller in the late 19th century, is often considered the poster child of corporate greed. By the early 1900s, it controlled 91% of oil production and 85% of final sales in the U.S., creating one of the most infamous monopolies in history.
The company crushed competition by undercutting prices and buying out smaller players. In 1911, the U.S. Supreme Court broke up Standard Oil into smaller companies, but by then, Rockefeller was already the richest man in modern history.
2. Enron Corporation
The Enron scandal of the early 2000s is a textbook example of corporate greed. Enron used accounting loopholes and outright fraud to inflate its earnings and hide debt, misleading investors and employees alike.
When the scandal broke in 2001, it wiped out $74 billion in shareholder value and cost thousands of employees their retirement savings. Its collapse remains one of the largest corporate bankruptcies in U.S. history.
3. Wells Fargo
In 2016, Wells Fargo was caught opening millions of fake bank accounts without customer consent to meet aggressive sales targets. Employees were pressured to meet unrealistic quotas, leading to widespread fraud.
The scandal resulted in billions of dollars in fines, a tarnished reputation, and a complete overhaul of the company’s leadership. It remains a cautionary tale about prioritizing profits over ethics.
4. Union Carbide (Bhopal Disaster)
Union Carbide’s negligence led to one of the worst industrial disasters in history, the Bhopal gas tragedy in 1984. A pesticide plant in India leaked toxic methyl isocyanate gas, killing thousands and injuring hundreds of thousands more.
The company cut costs by compromising safety measures and prioritizing profits over human lives. To this day, survivors and their families continue to fight for adequate compensation.
5. Lehman Brothers
The collapse of Lehman Brothers in 2008 was a defining moment in the global financial crisis. The firm’s reckless investments in subprime mortgages and risky financial instruments created a ripple effect that nearly destroyed the global economy.
Lehman’s fall highlighted the dangers of unchecked greed in the financial sector, leading to widespread unemployment and financial ruin.
6. East India Company
The British East India Company was as much a corporation as it was a colonial empire. In its pursuit of profit, it exploited India’s resources, controlled trade routes, and even raised its own army to maintain dominance.
Its policies led to famines, economic ruin, and cultural destruction in the territories it controlled. The company’s greed eventually led to the Indian Rebellion of 1857 and its dissolution in 1874.
7. Amazon
While Amazon has revolutionized e-commerce, it’s also faced accusations of treating workers poorly, avoiding taxes, and monopolizing industries. Critics argue that the company’s relentless focus on growth and low prices comes at a significant human and economic cost.
Despite its immense success, Amazon’s practices have sparked debates about corporate responsibility in the modern era.
8. Volkswagen (Dieselgate)
In 2015, Volkswagen admitted to cheating emissions tests for its diesel vehicles, falsely advertising them as environmentally friendly. This deception not only violated trust but also caused significant environmental damage.
The company paid billions in fines and settlements, but the scandal remains a glaring example of corporate greed overriding ethics.
9. Facebook/Meta
Facebook (now Meta) has been accused of prioritizing user engagement and profits over societal well-being. The company’s practices have raised serious ethical concerns, from spreading misinformation to compromising user privacy.
Internal documents leaked by whistleblowers have shown that Meta often ignored warnings about the harmful impact of its platforms, focusing instead on maximizing revenue.
10. De Beers
For decades, De Beers monopolized the global diamond trade, artificially inflating prices by restricting supply. The company also profited from “blood diamonds,” mined in conflict zones under inhumane conditions.
While De Beers has since reformed its practices, its history remains a grim reminder of the power of monopolies in shaping global markets.
11. Monsanto
Monsanto, a major player in agriculture and biotechnology, has been criticized for aggressive litigation against farmers, environmental damage, and the promotion of controversial products like Roundup.
While the company’s innovations have transformed farming, its methods have sparked widespread backlash, especially regarding genetically modified organisms (GMOs).
12. ExxonMobil
ExxonMobil has faced criticism for funding climate change denial campaigns despite internal research confirming the environmental impact of fossil fuels.
The company’s actions delayed global efforts to combat climate change, prioritizing profits over planetary health.
13. Apple
While Apple is celebrated for its innovation, it has faced accusations of exploiting workers in its supply chain, avoiding taxes, and engaging in anti-competitive practices.
The company’s immense success often overshadows its controversies, but critics argue that its focus on profit sometimes comes at a significant human cost.
14. Goldman Sachs (1MDB Scandal)
Goldman Sachs was embroiled in the 1MDB scandal, where billions of dollars were siphoned from Malaysia’s development fund to fund personal, luxurious lifestyles. The firm paid billions in fines for its role in facilitating the fraud.
The scandal highlighted the risks of prioritizing lucrative deals over ethical considerations.
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With an honors degree in financial engineering, Omega Ukama deeply understands finance. Before pursuing journalism, he honed his skills at a private equity firm, giving him invaluable real-world experience. This combination of financial literacy and journalistic flair allows him to translate complex financial matters into clear and concise insights for his readers.
With an honors degree in financial engineering, Omega Ukama deeply understands finance. Before pursuing journalism, he honed his skills at a private equity firm, giving him invaluable real-world experience. This combination of financial literacy and journalistic flair allows him to translate complex financial matters into clear and concise insights for his readers.
