For a guy who was once at the apex of business running the seventh largest company in America, prison life must be pretty boring. Mopping duty and smuggling pruno can't hold a candle to flying around with politicians and plotting schemes for raping the California energy markets.

So what's a fellow in former Enron CEO Jeff Skilling's unenviable position to do with all that free time? Try to find a way to get out! This week, a court will consider the possibility of overturning Mr. Skilling's convictions on one count of conspiracy, one count of insider trading, five counts of lying to auditors, and twelve counts of securities on fraud. Mr. Skilling is serving a sentence of more than 24 years in Club Fed.

Mr. Skilling and his lawyers have some hope, based on newly-released documents, including 400 pages of handwritten transcripts of interviews with the government's star witness, former CFO Andy Fastow. The Wall Street Journal reports (subscription required) that "The Skilling legal team says the notes undermine trial testimony by Mr. Fastow, a star government witness against Mr. Skilling. It says the notes refute Mr. Fastow's contention that he and Mr. Skilling discussed illegal accounting maneuvers. The Justice Department disputes this characterization."

Skilling's lawyers argue that this evidence was "deliberately and systematically" withheld from the defense which, they say, is grounds for overturning the verdict. Prosecutors replied in their brief that "microscopic and misleading dissection of the Fastow notes provides no basis for overturning the jury's verdict."

Sanjay Kumar, a young guy at 44-years-old, will now spend the next 12 years in prison.

While CEO of CA, Inc. (NYSE:CA), Kumar got too loosey-goosey with the accounting, so much that the company had to change its name because of the bad publicity. Originally, the company was called Computer Associates. In all, the fraud amounted to about $2.2 billion in misrepresentations.

Kumar's shenanigans were quite creative, actually. For example, he had the concept of a 35-day month. This is always useful to squeeze in more sales. There was also backdating of contracts (i.e., if the month was not long enough).

The irony is that CA is a leader in software to help companies deal with things like, well, accounting and disclosures. Hey, who better to know how to make magic with the financials?

True, 12 years is a long time, but Kumar will still be young when he gets out of prison. Besides, his fine is a mere $8 million.

In fact, because of his crimes, Kumar could have received a life sentence. I guess the judge thinks $2.2 billion is kind of a small number.

Tom Taulli is the author of various books, including the Complete M&A Handbook and operates InvestorOffering.com.