Wednesday, July 27, 2005

Wal-Mart sues former top executive

Wal-Mart filed suit against its former vice chairman Tom Coughlin today claiming he misused company gift cards, according to an Associated Press article. In the lawsuit, which was filed in Benton County Circuit Court, Wal-Mart officials claimed Coughlin used the gift cards to buy a number of items including: "watches, Bloody Mary mix, headphones, sunflower seeds, a Toby Keith CD, underwear and a karaoke machine," the article said.
Coughlin also allegedly used his expense account to buy "snakeskin boots, a radio receiver for XM satellite radio, truck accessories and airplane tickets."
In the lawsuit, Wal-Mart officials claim Coughlin misspent more than half a million dollars. The company is seeking to void Coughlin's "multimillion-dollar retirement package," the article said.
Wal-Mart filed papers with the Securities and Exchange Commission earlier this year saying it was firing Coughlin for "gross misconduct."

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