Photographs: Mike Segar/Reuters
There are some chief executives who received millions, even billions, of dollars when they were shown the door by the company.
Let's take a look at some of the biggest golden handshakes in the world.
Source: Zero Hedge
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CEOs who walked away with millions after losing their jobs
Photographs: Lucy Nicholson/Reuters
William McGuire
Compensation: $1.6 billion in stock
Company: UnitedHealth Group
Industry: Health care
Year of compensation: 2006
Overall rank: 1
McGuire was the CEO of UnitedHealth Group from 1991 to 2006. He was later forced to repay $468 million and fined $7 million by the Securities and Exchange Commission.
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CEOs who walked away with millions after losing their jobs
Photographs: Anthony Bolante/Reuters
Michael Eisner
Compensation: $1 billion
Company: Walt Disney Company
Industry: Entertainment
Year of compensation: 2005
Overall rank: 2
Eisner expanded the Walt Disney empire by adding seven theme parks, 10 cable channels and bringing ABC network into the fold.
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CEOs who walked away with millions after losing their jobs
Photographs: Jonathan Ernst/Reuters
Angelo Mozilo
Compensation: $184 million
Company: Countrywide Financial Corporation
Industry: Finance
Year of compensation: 2008
Overall rank: 3
Mozilo, whose salary, bonus and stock were at one time valued at about $470 million, was later charged with insider trading and securities fraud and was slapped with a fine and ban.
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CEOs who walked away with millions after losing their jobs
Photographs: Rick Wilking/Reuters
Michael Ovitz
Compensation: $169 million
Company: Walt Disney Company
Industry: Entertainment
Year of compensation: 1997
Overall rank: 4
Ovitz, who was working under Michael Eisner, was kicked out of the company by shareholders after just 14 months.
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CEOs who walked away with millions after losing their jobs
Photographs: Tim Shaffer/Reuters
James Kilts
Compensation: $165 million
Company: Gillette Company
Industry: Personal care
Year of compensation: 2005
Overall rank: 5
Kilts, who was receiving $6.5 million salary per year, lost his job when Gillette was taken over by Procter & Gamble.
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CEOs who walked away with millions after losing their jobs
Photographs: Keith Bedford/Reuters
Stanley O’Neal
Compensation: $161 million
Company: Merrill Lynch & Company
Industry: Banking
Year of compensation: 2007
Overall rank: 6
O’Neal, who walked away with $161 million after losing his job, has been called one of the worst CEOs in history.
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CEOs who walked away with millions after losing their jobs
Photographs: Jim Young/Reuters
Charles Prince
Compensation: $99 million in stock
Company: Citigroup
Industry: Banking
Year of compensation: 2007
Overall rank: 7
Prince was not only given nearly $100 million for leaving Citigroup but also a company car and chauffeur for five years.
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CEOs who walked away with millions after losing their jobs
Photographs: Pascal Lauener/Reuters
Henry McKinnell
Compensation: $83 million
Company: Pfizer
Industry: Pharmaceuticals
Year of compensation: 2006
Overall rank: 8
McKinnell gave himself a 72 per cent salary rise even though the company shares were falling.
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CEOs who walked away with millions after losing their jobs
Photographs: Americasroof/Wikipedia Commons
Frederick Ross Johnson
Compensation: $53 million
Company: RJR Nabisco
Industry: Food processing, tobacco
Year of compensation: 1989
Overall rank: 9
Frederick Ross Johnson's $53 million compensation in 1989 was the biggest golden handshake at that time.
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CEOs who walked away with millions after losing their jobs
Photographs: Phil McCarten/Reuters
Carly Fiorina
Compensation: $40 million
Company: Hewlett-Packard
Industry: Technology
Year of compensation: 2005
Overall rank: 10
Fiorina's $40 million compensation was challenged by shareholders in court but they lost the case. She, meanwhile, lost her bid to become US Senator.
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