- Published reports say that Jared Bowen, who says that he is a whistleblower but whom Wal-Mart says was complicit in accounting fraud against the company, has sued the retailer for defamation of character.
The case concerns accusations that Wal-Mart’s former vice-chairman, Thomas Coughlin, perpetrated fraud against the company before being forced out. Wal-Mart says that Coughlin essentially stole money from the company for his personal use, and that Bowen gave him the money (in the form of gift cards) before informing on him to management.
Coughlin, for his part, says he used the cards to pay off employees who were informing on unionization activities.
A federal investigation into Coughlin’s actions currently is underway.
Not only has Wal-Mart fired Bowen from his job as a vice president, accusing him of complicity in Coughlin’s fraud, but it also has accused Bowen of falsifying his resume when applying to the company for employment, and of submitting his own falsified expense reports.
