Michael Robert Milken is an American financier recognized for his significant role in developing the market for high-yield bonds, often referred to as "junk bonds." His work as head of the high-yield bond department at Drexel Burnham Lambert in the late 1980s led to compensation exceeding $1 billion over four years, a record at the time.

Milken's career also involved legal challenges, including an indictment for racketeering and securities fraud in 1989.