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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsVast Mexico Bribery Case Hushed Up by Wal-Mart
By DAVID BARSTOW
Published: April 21, 2012
MEXICO CITY In September 2005, a senior Wal-Mart lawyer received an alarming e-mail from a former executive at the companys largest foreign subsidiary, Wal-Mart de Mexico. In the e-mail and follow-up conversations, the former executive described how Wal-Mart de Mexico had orchestrated a campaign of bribery to win market dominance. In its rush to build stores, he said, the company had paid bribes to obtain permits in virtually every corner of the country.
The former executive gave names, dates and bribe amounts. He knew so much, he explained, because for years he had been the lawyer in charge of obtaining construction permits for Wal-Mart de Mexico.
Wal-Mart dispatched investigators to Mexico City, and within days they unearthed evidence of widespread bribery. They found a paper trail of hundreds of suspect payments totaling more than $24 million. They also found documents showing that Wal-Mart de Mexicos top executives not only knew about the payments, but had taken steps to conceal them from Wal-Marts headquarters in Bentonville, Ark. In a confidential report to his superiors, Wal-Marts lead investigator, a former F.B.I. special agent, summed up their initial findings this way: There is reasonable suspicion to believe that Mexican and USA laws have been violated.
The lead investigator recommended that Wal-Mart expand the investigation.
Instead, an examination by The New York Times found, Wal-Marts leaders shut it down.
more
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/22/business/at-wal-mart-in-mexico-a-bribe-inquiry-silenced.html
Angry Dragon
(36,693 posts)mostly the drunk sister
thelordofhell
(4,569 posts)In the USA it's called campaign donations