The 79-year-old private equity mogul earned the nicknames “bottom feeder” and “king of bankruptcy” in the mid-2000s, when he became known for buying up decaying businesses, including steels mills, coal mines and textile factories. Ross reaped profits by stripping workers of health benefits, ignoring safety concerns and sending jobs abroad, where workers expect lower wages. The same year Ross bought Cone Mills, he formed International Coal Group. ICG was also the vehicle where Ross placed the assets of Anker Coal Group. (In 2005, two employees joined ICG from Massey, a coal company that became infamous for its disregard for safety regulations under CEO Don Blankenship.

Source: Huffington Post January 18, 2017 00:55 UTC