<p>McLEAN, Va. — The former top executives at WorldCom Inc. ruled with unquestioned authority, steering the telecommunications company into multibillion-dollar acquisitions on a whim and intimidating underlings who questioned their conduct, according to two reports released today.</p>
<p>A report by former Attorney General Richard Thornburgh outlined a corporate culture thoroughly dominated by former chairman Bernard Ebbers and ex-chief financial officer Scott Sullivan, fostering an environment that led to the largest U.S. bankruptcy and an $11 billion accounting scandal.</p>