Walmart Funding Lawyers for Thirty Executives In Federal Bribery Probe
Walmart replaced its CEO two weeks ago and has been paying the attorney's fees for thirty senior executives who are under investigation by the Department of Justice after the company was accused of making a $24 million bribe in Mexico.
The executives are being investigated as part of a larger corruption probe. Authorities believe Walmart paid bribes to get permits that would allow them to build stores. The government says Walmart bribed its way into Mexico, Brazil, China and India.
In addition to funding attorneys for all of the executives under scrutiny, Walmart also retained at least three law firms for itself as part of an internal probe.
According to Reuters, Walmart has spent at least $300 million in legal fees so far.
And in late November, Walmart CEO Mike Duke was replaced with Doug McMillon. A New York Times article last year exposed the company's bribery, and emails released by the government suggest Duke was aware of and approved of the tactics.
