CEOs who walked away with millions after losing their jobs

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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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.