Whistleblower Attempts Suicide

The Archer Daniels Midland Co. executive who turned informant in a price-fixing investigation, then found himself accused of embezzling $2.5 million, tried to kill himself last week.

Mark E. Whitacre was rescued by his gardener after he drove his car into his garage in Moweaqua and left the engine running, a friend of the family said. As the garage filled with fumes, Whitacre used his car phone to leave his wife a last message on her answering machine.

Just before the suicide attempt, Whitacre sent a letter to the Wall Street Journal that appears to link him to unusual business dealings. “Regarding overseas accounts and kickbacks; and overseas payments to some employees,” he wrote. “Dig deep. It’s there! They give it; then use it against you when you are their enemy.”

The suicide attempt came two days after ADM fired Whitacre as president of the company’s lucrative BioProducts Division for allegedly stealing at least $2.5 million from overseas accounts.