However, a reasonable explanation of the different sentences here is readily apparent, namely, the varying degrees of culpability and cooperation between the various defendants. All of those named above cooperated and pled guilty. Ebbers did not.

It is just sickening that the more serious offender gets a slap on the wrist because he told the truth as the Government saw it and the jury bought it, while the defendant who chooses to exercise his constitutional right to a jury trial and hold the governmentnot to its burden of proving his guilt beyond a reasonable doubt not only gets convicted based on the cooperator's testimony but gets hammered at sentencing as well.

As to the length of Ebbers' sentence being unreasonable, the court passes the blame to Congress -- even after noting that almost any white collar offender in a publicly traded company could be looking at life if he didn't fold:

Twenty-five years is a long sentence for a white collar crime, longer than the sentences routinely imposed by many states for violent crimes, including murder, or
other serious crimes such as serial child molestation. However, Congress has directed that the Guidelines be a key component of sentence determination. Under the Guidelines, it may well be that all but the most trivial frauds in publicly traded companies may trigger sentences amounting to life imprisonment -- Ebbers' 25-year sentence is actually below the Guidelines level.

Even the threat of indictment on wafer-thin evidence of fraud may therefore compel a plea. For example, a 15¢ decline in share price in a firm with only half the number of outstanding shares that WorldCom had would constitute a loss of $200 million. No matter how many reasons other than the fraud may arguably account
for the decline, a potential defendant would face an enormous jeopardy, given the present loss table, and enhancements for more than 250 victims, for being a leader of a criminal activity involving 5 or more participants, and for being an officer of the
company.

However, the Guidelines reflect Congress' judgment as to the appropriate national policy for such crimes....Given Congress' policy decisions on sentences for fraud, the sentence is harsh but not unreasonable.

Bernie Ebbers, now 73 years old, will die in prison. From a practical standpoint, he got a life sentence. So much for judges exercising discretion under Booker. Meet the new sentencing rules, same as the old ones.