Crime

Report: Walmart Investigating $24M Mexican Bribery Scandal

Report: Walmart Investigating $24M Mexican Bribery Case

Wal-Mart is coming under fire for allegedly “hushing up” a vast bribery campaign that allowed the corporation to rapidly expand in Mexico, after the New York Times published a detailed, explosive article on the topic.

According to the paper, a former Wal-Mart executive wrote that, “In its rush to build stores…the company had paid bribes to obtain permits in virtually every corner of the country.”

The man reportedly gave names, dates, and bribe amounts– and an internal Wal-Mart investigation allegedly found a paper trail that of numbered hundreds of “suspect payments” totaling more than $24 million.

However, the NYT reports that it was only after Wal-Mart got wind of the paper’s own investigation that it informed the U.S. Justice Department in December 2011 that it had begun an internal investigation into possible violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.

Under that law, it is illegal for U.S. corporations and their subsidiaries to bribe foreign officials.

Report: Walmart Investigating $24M Mexican Bribery Case

“If these allegations are true, it is not a reflection of who we are or what we stand for,” spokesman David Tovar said.

“We are deeply concerned…and are working aggressively to determine what happened,” he continued, further noting that many of the “alleged activities” took place more than six years ago.

Wal-Mart de Mexico has expanded so rapidly that one in five Wal-Mart stores are now in Mexico.  It has become the country’s largest private employer, with roughly 209,000 employees.

While Wal-Mart officials have reiterated that they are looking into the matter with all the gravity the situation demands, critics of the store maintain that Wal-Mart will trample anyone for a profit.

“The high cost of a low price,” according to a Facebook page dedicated entirely to “hating Wal-Mart.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Comments (57)

1 2
  • NOBALONEY
    Posted on April 22, 2012 at 6:21am

    Obama administration bribes (foreign aid) countries with food (North Korea), and money ( Egypt, Tunisia, Brazil, etc), because that’s all they have. Walmart knows that’s the cost of business in Mexico. Will the NY Times report on Brazil; which does the same thing?

    Report Post » NOBALONEY  
    • VanceUppercut
      Posted on April 23, 2012 at 6:47pm

      @NOBALONEY

      So your assertion is that the Obama admin is the first and only to send foreign aid to other countries?

      Report Post »  
  • Living In NYC
    Posted on April 22, 2012 at 5:43am

    Just typical operating proceedures in a banana republic! Why is the Playhouse (AKA Whitehouse) worried they do far worse and just the opposite.

    The Banana Republice Professor (Barry Obama) takes my hard earn dollars (taxes) and gives it to Solyndra and $47.00 hookers in Columbia. At least Walmart is opening stores, creating jobs in the United States and Mexico.

    That’s alot more than the “Professor” can do with $24 million, he just flushes my money and your money down rat holes to his friends and his government agencies for their fun and games!

    I want to go to Vegas and Carthania and spend a week in a penthouse with a hot tube, fine wine and great food on someone else’s dime. But, I won‘t cause it ISN’T RIGHT!

    Report Post » Living In NYC  
    • HKS
      Posted on April 22, 2012 at 7:23am

      Business has to do the same thing here, and then they get blackmailed for the rest of their life, what idiot thought this was news.

      Report Post » HKS  
    • lukerw
      Posted on April 22, 2012 at 10:01am

      It’s the way Business is done in SA… everyone must be Bribed to get Good in & out of a Country!

      Report Post » lukerw  
  • EP46
    Posted on April 22, 2012 at 5:19am

    I don’t support Walmart because they have been the cause of so many small mom & pop businesses having to close.
    But speaking of Mexico….a few days ago I saw that unemployment in Mexico is 5.2%. Great ! So why are American tax dollars going to support so many illegals in this country?
    Why are we feeding and schooling so many illegals when Americans cannot get work? Why are these people not sent back to Mexico where apparently there are jobs ? The Left keeps saying the people come here to work and have a future ! There are no jobs here and they are costing us more and more to support them. Would they HAVE to work if they return to Mexico ? Why is this financial burden being forced upon the U.S. tax payer ?

    Report Post »  
    • aquablue
      Posted on April 22, 2012 at 10:54am

      i agree. why am i being squeezed out of my own neighborhood?
      liberal accomadation is making things miserable for me.
      my neighborhood feels like a different country and good jobs go to bilinguals.
      i would love to see hilary forced to shop our local walmart or try to get a job as U.S. born english speaking person.

      Report Post » aquablue  
  • MastrSSG
    Posted on April 22, 2012 at 1:46am

    I’ll tell you what, I’m not a Wal-mart supporter and don’t care if they do business in Mexico. That said, if you want to see corruption, Open a Business in New York or Chicago. Dealing with the monopoly of Union bosses is like dealing with the Mafia. It’s all shady under the table bribes and sickening pressure from every Union known to man. They make damn sure you arent going to usurp the “authority” of the unions. They have their fingers in EVERYTHING!! Can you tell I hate unions and union members?

    At one point my dad had someone crash into his shop (for the 5th time in a year) so I built a brick flower box in the front so it would mitigate some of the damage if it happened again. I was attacked by several union members from the brick layers union. They were pissed I wasn’t using union labor. When I went to lunch they tore it down and smashed up about 300$ worth of bricks….OVER A FLOWER BOX!

    Four of the members tried to kill me over a 10x 3 foot brick box. These weren’t union bosses, they were “workers” and down here in Longview it isn’t the bosses fighting, holding hostages and trying to hurt people coming to work or even trying to get past them to shop it’s the “workers” from the union. Most union people I’ve ever met are loud mouth lazy punks who could care less about anyone but themself. Most are lazy do as little as possible to get by worthless leaches.

    Report Post » MastrSSG  
  • zoro51
    Posted on April 22, 2012 at 1:18am

    coprorate GREEEEEEED paying wet backs to build n work.. n then say were so american WHAT A LIE… you hired wet backs paid off officials n even DRUG LORDS…

    Report Post » zoro51  
    • MastrSSG
      Posted on April 22, 2012 at 2:30am

      What’s wrong with you? Wet backs…. really? Please shut up! You’re an embarrassment. You must be a liberal plant to make people think we’re all stupid.

      I can’t believe I’m defending Wal-Mart but frankly they’ve put over 200,000 Mexican MEN & WOMEN real people to work with the hope of feeding and caring for their families. How is it a bad thing to offer an alternative to crime and poverty? I despise illegal immigration, but I sure as hell don’t hate Mexican people. I would rather help them honestly thrive legally in the greatest country on earth. And if I can help build hope and prosperity in their own homeland and make it easier for them to thrive how is that a bad thing?
      It’s like telling people on welfare we want you off of the government teat and were going to make sure to cut off all support from the government, and then we leave them all to fail. We all suffer from that kind of behavior and we should.

      If we want to get the government out of our lives, guess what? We need to step up and support those who can’t or don’t know how to do for themself. It means taking care of our own, in our own families, our own neighborhoods, communities, state and nation.

      If you want to end illegal immigration then you better have a better idea to help those who need it desperately. I see Wal-Mart as a vehicle to aid those who would starve without them. So what if they profit from it, they should….that’s called Capitalism, you know the most moral system ever

      Report Post » MastrSSG  
    • lukerw
      Posted on April 22, 2012 at 11:30am

      Medic!

      Report Post » lukerw  
    • MastrSSG
      Posted on April 26, 2012 at 7:14pm

      I am the Medic!

      Report Post » MastrSSG  
  • geonj
    Posted on April 22, 2012 at 12:51am

    that is how business is done in mexico. does obama want to regulate mexico too?

    Report Post » geonj  
    • Thomas
      Posted on April 22, 2012 at 12:58am

      Its funny that the same people who are fighting to keep illegal aliens in this country and then secretly bribe them to vote through government hands out, are so concerned about what Walmart does down in Mexico. Mexico is its own country and can take care of its own business without those who hate Walmart because they don’t allow crooked unions to take over their company.

      Report Post » Thomas  
    • cgnick
      Posted on April 22, 2012 at 12:57pm

      Wal Mart is an American based company. We have laws that say you can’t bribe people even if it is another country. I read more into this story you will see that Wal Mart including the CEO him self went to great lengths to cover it up and even thwart the feds after it was uncovered. They were covering it up because their stock was not doing well and the Mexican Wal Mart project was the only thing really going good for them at the time.

      The corporate execs of Wal Mart and so many other companies are sitting on tons and tons of cash yet they are morally bankrupt at the same time. You have idiots on both sides of the aisle sticking up for this type of behavior because they have been bought by these mega corporations.

      This is a real story but you wouldn’t know it the way that the Blaze reports it.

      Report Post »  
  • VoteRightDammit
    Posted on April 22, 2012 at 12:11am

    ZERO companies doing business in Mexico do NOT pay bribes. Bribes to the union. Bribes to the local government. Bribes to the cops. Bribes to the federal government. Don’t pay and you do not play, pure and simple.

    The $24 million may seem high, but for a company the size of WM that is probably a good deal, all things considered.

    Simply more strong-arm tactics by the unions and their Obama puppet regime to force WM to accept unions. Doubt it will have any success at all.

    Report Post » VoteRightDammit  
  • roostercogburn
    Posted on April 22, 2012 at 12:05am

    This is just an example of how the US government wants to destroy all US companies, any company from anywhere else in the world could come into Mexico and set up shop, they would have to pay the bribes that anyone else would have to and it would be okay, but since it’s an American company they are under fire, since about 2000 the US government has put all us under fire, we can go to jail for something that anyone from any other country can do legally anywhere in the world, anyone from the US has less rights than anyone from anywhere else, time for major budget cuts, after the election we have many laws to remove from the books, and many agencies that have to go away..

    Report Post » roostercogburn  
    • Living In NYC
      Posted on April 22, 2012 at 5:55am

      No the glassly eyed leftist think that Iran, Egypt and Cuba are great countries to live in!

      I wished the left would travel to one of those countries….Mexico is a utopia compare to these communist countries! So a few bribes have to be paid..all part of doing international business in third world countries! $24 milllion dollars is nothing compare to $1 BILLION dollars spent on Solyndra!

      Report Post » Living In NYC  
  • trueamerican40
    Posted on April 21, 2012 at 11:59pm

    I still wish Mexico bordered Iran.

    Report Post » trueamerican40  
  • heavyduty
    Posted on April 21, 2012 at 11:44pm

    If people don’t like Walmart, then why shop there? That’s what I do, if I don’t like a store. But it looks like someone is going to be in trouble.

    Report Post »  
  • dealer@678
    Posted on April 21, 2012 at 11:38pm

    Those Mexicans think of everything. Just wish they would start using rubbers

    Report Post »  
  • HorseCrazy
    Posted on April 21, 2012 at 11:31pm

    cost of doing business there kind of like soros buying the whitehouse for barry o. quit going after walmart it just makes me want to shop there for cheap junk made by sweaty little children because I don’t really care that much. hey liberal america you and your minimum wage, your unions, your regulations are the reason walmart and all the other producers jumped countries.

    Report Post »  
  • Quencher
    Posted on April 21, 2012 at 11:26pm

    Anyone who really knows Mexico will not be surprised. All business’s in Mexico pay bribes, whether a Mexican company or a foreign company. Bribery is part of doing business and without it there will be no business done! Period. Flying in Mexico with very wealthy Mexican clients years ago I was surprised to see my recognizable, wealthy, important clients pay bribes at every stop for every service. Mexican culture is not the same as other country’s culture. Expect it, plan for it, or simply do not go!

    Report Post » Quencher  
    • CatB
      Posted on April 22, 2012 at 12:16am

      And we don’t think this happens here .. try to put a WalMart or other large business in and see what happens .. same thing .. they may not demand cash … a lot of the time .. it is an equal amount of land for “public use” or some other such thing .. cost of doing business.

      Report Post »  
  • hangthebastids
    Posted on April 21, 2012 at 11:23pm

    USAID training foreign workers for English-speaking jobs
    http://dailycaller.com/2012/04/20/usaid-training-foreign-workers-for-english-speaking-jobs/

    If I wanted America to fail
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=CZ-4gnNz0vc

    Report Post » hangthebastids  
  • 13th Imam
    Posted on April 21, 2012 at 11:10pm

    The “cost of business” for the New York Slimes, and other Liberal Rags is that few articles are run on what real business’s have to deal with to build in Mexico Or here. Or the fact that Drug Cartels along with Barry, Eric and the Fast and Furious Cabal, have to be greased. How clean and pristine are these Limosine Liberals??

    Report Post » 13th Imam  
  • Thighmaster
    Posted on April 21, 2012 at 11:07pm

    Bribery in Mexico ? I suppose next we‘ll be hearing there’s hookers in Colombia….

    Report Post » Thighmaster  
    • HorseCrazy
      Posted on April 21, 2012 at 11:29pm

      exactly and shocker they are going after walmart not some liberal chain its so predictable.

      Report Post »  
    • BanjoPicker
      Posted on April 21, 2012 at 11:56pm

      As shocking as rumor of kickbacks paid in the Chicago area. Perhaps Illinios should pass a Domestic Corrupt Practices Act as well, retroactive, and Obamas name wouldn’t even exist.

      Report Post »  
  • Bluefish49
    Posted on April 21, 2012 at 10:47pm

    Hey dummies….that’s the only way you can do “anything” in Mexico. The article doesn’t tell you that the bribes “all” went to Mexican Government Officials now does it….why the hell do you think so many want to cross the border……one word….corruption. And even then the poor people have to pay the man just to get across to the US. Why do you think the Mexican President is so harsh about US Immagration Policy about tightning up the border?…..One other word…“money”.

    Report Post »  
    • oldironsides
      Posted on April 21, 2012 at 11:00pm

      you’re right – in Mexico workers have to pay a kickback to get a job – sort of like a union job here

      Report Post »  
    • KangarooJack
      Posted on April 21, 2012 at 11:24pm

      and SOOOOO MANY will NOT get the similarity between paying a gov’t/drug lord bribe and HAVING to be a Union Dues PAYING member JUST TO HAVE A JOB. {shakes head}

      Report Post » KangarooJack  
  • lassiegirldawn
    Posted on April 21, 2012 at 10:46pm

    Might as well, all the American dollars going to Mexico.

    Report Post »  
  • KangarooJack
    Posted on April 21, 2012 at 10:46pm

    and if the paper trail would be complete it would lead all the way to Afghanistan….

    Report Post » KangarooJack  
  • grimmy
    Posted on April 21, 2012 at 10:46pm

    Bribes are a way of life in mexico, this is a non-story…….

    Report Post »  
    • Thighmaster
      Posted on April 21, 2012 at 11:11pm

      Oh it’s a story alright, look who is investigating it. What better way to get ahead of fast and furious.

      Report Post » Thighmaster  
  • soybomb315
    Posted on April 21, 2012 at 10:44pm

    i hope the US govt doesnt try to investigate this – it is mexico’s responsibility

    Report Post » soybomb315  
  • TXPilot
    Posted on April 21, 2012 at 10:43pm

    Sorry, but bribery is just a normal cost of doing business in Mexico and because of it, millions of Mexican citizens now have the chance to get ripped off by being sold cheap, Chinese junk, just like we do in the U.S.

    Report Post » TXPilot  
  • beckwill
    Posted on April 21, 2012 at 10:41pm

    How else were they supposed to obtain permits in Mexico?

    Report Post »  
    • soybomb315
      Posted on April 21, 2012 at 10:46pm

      its how all business is done in mexico. whats the big deal?

      Report Post » soybomb315  
    • inblack
      Posted on April 22, 2012 at 12:01am

      @SOYBOMB315

      The big deal is that it is illegal for US based companies to do this. Period. It is called illegal competition. It was signed into law by Carter.

      The sad thing is that this is also a Global Government Law of the UN.

      That said Walmart will enrich the people of Mexico by providing quality low cast goods and decent jobs. These people will become customers of American goods and eventually reduce illegal immigration.

      That of course assumes that Mexico can establish law and order and property rights.

      Report Post »  
    • roostercogburn
      Posted on April 22, 2012 at 12:09am

      But US companies should not be stopped from doing what any company from any other country would have to do to do this deal in Mexico, this is part of the deal, just another mistake from Jimmy Carter, we should have impeached that clown along with Obama..

      Report Post » roostercogburn  
  • TIME_2_END_THE_PAUL_CAMPAIGN_IN_12
    Posted on April 21, 2012 at 10:40pm

    “Wal-Mart de Mexico has expanded so rapidly that one in five Wal-Mart stores are now in Mexico. It has become the country’s largest private employer, with roughly 209,000 employees.”

    As the voice said… “Build it and he will come.”

    Build more, then maybe they will go back (the illegals that is).

    Report Post » TIME_2_END_THE_PAUL_CAMPAIGN_IN_12  
  • chasbronson
    Posted on April 21, 2012 at 10:40pm

    Wal martian Thats all they want to be>

    Report Post »  
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