The document discusses the failure of Lehman Brothers in 2008. It provides background on Lehman Brothers' history dating back to 1844. It then examines the various causes that led to Lehman Brothers' failure, including dubious accounting practices like using "Repo 105" transactions to manipulate financial statements, unethical management practices, excessive risk taking, and a liquidity crisis. The failure of Lehman Brothers was the largest bankruptcy in U.S. history and significantly contributed to the 2008 global financial crisis.