Wal-Mart Executive used "anti-union activities" as cover for embezzlement. he pleads guilty.
Former Wal-Mart Executive to Admit Fraud: "According to a company report released in July, Coughlin, whose compensation topped $4 million in 2004, used company money to pay for CDs; beer; an all-terrain vehicle; a customized dog kennel; and a computer, a graduation gift for his son, explaining that they were routine business expenses.
Until this point, Coughlin maintained that the money was spent on anti-union activities, such as paying people to identify stores where union leaders planned to organize. Wal-Mart executives had said there was no evidence to support that claim. The company opposes union organization of its workers, arguing that unions would create inefficient labor rules and create more costs for the workers in the form of union dues. The company maintains that it has an 'open-door policy' that encourages employees to come forward with concerns."
Former Wal-Mart Stores Inc. vice chairman Thomas M. Coughlin has agreed to plead guilty to five counts of wire fraud and one count of tax evasion later this month, according to a source familiar with the case.