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The Honolulu Advertiser

Posted on: Saturday, April 16, 2005

Wal-Mart reviews scandal findings

By Chuck Bartels
Associated Press

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Wal-Mart Stores Inc. disclosed yesterday that it has frozen millions of dollars in benefits for former vice chairman Tom Coughlin, who resigned from Wal-Mart's board amid allegations of improper spending that could lead to a government investigation.

Tom Coughlin

According to a regulatory filing, Wal-Mart has suspended Coughlin's vesting of 186,407 shares of restricted stock, worth $9.77 million at the end of the company's last fiscal year, and 302,503 stock options exercisable within 60 days "pending further review of the information developed in the (in-house) investigation" that led to his departure.

The proxy statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission does not specify whether Coughlin will receive his base salary of $1.03 million for two years, part of his retirement agreement. Wal-Mart would not comment on the filing.

Coughlin retired last year but remained on the board until March 25, when an internal probe turned up expense account improprieties of up to a half-million dollars. Three Wal-Mart employees, including a company officer, lost their jobs in connection with the probe, and the company turned over materials to federal prosecutors.

Coughlin has denied any wrongdoing. His lawyer is pressing the company for documents given to federal prosecutors.

U.S. Attorney Bob Balfe's office in Fort Smith, Ark., has not discussed the case and refused again yesterday to say whether it is conducting an investigation.

A Wall Street Journal report last week cited former employees as saying Coughlin had diverted thousands of dollars in expense account reimbursements for secret payments to union members willing to identify pro-union employees at stores. Wal-Mart has strongly denied that any such payments were made.

The allegations prompted The United Food and Commercial Workers Union, which is trying to organize workers at Wal-Mart, to file charges accusing the retailer of unfair labor practices.

According to yesterday's filing, Coughlin received bonus and other income of $3.09 million on top of his salary for Wal-Mart's most recent fiscal year. The filing also makes note of the company's retirement agreement with Coughlin that obligates him to maintain "cooperation and confidentiality" with the company, and to not compete with Wal-Mart through Jan. 24, 2012.

Meanwhile, Chief Executive Lee Scott had compensation of $12.59 million for fiscal 2005, including a salary of $1.24 million, $4.12 million in incentive payments and $6.33 million in restricted stock payments.

In trading yesterday, Wal-Mart fell 26 cents to close at $47.70 on the New York Stock Exchange. The stock has traded in a 52-week range of $47.77 to $59.15.