A federal judge has granted former WorldCom Chief Executive Officer Bernard Ebbers an early release from prison due to his deteriorating health, after serving 13 years of a 25-year sentence for participating in one of the biggest accounting frauds in the history of the United States.

Ebbers stepped down as CEO of WorldCom in 2002. Shortly after, the company filed for bankruptcy, making it the largest Chapter 11 filing in U.S. history at that time.

Ebbers, now 78 years old, was found guilty in March 2005 on nine felony counts, including securities fraud, for his role in the $11 billion accounting fraud at WorldCom. On Wednesday, Judge Valerie Caproni of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York granted his family’s request for release.