BENTONVILLE, Ark., June 5 (UPI) -- A Minnesota billionaire has filed a defamation lawsuit against a marketing executive Wal-Mart Stores Inc. fired for alleged conflicts of interest.
Irwin Jacobs, chairman of boat manufacturer Genmar Holdings Inc., sued Julie Roehm and her attorneys for alleging Jacobs offered special deals to Wal-Mart Chief Executive Officer Lee Scott, including yachts and a large pink diamond at reduced rates, and hired Scott's son in apparent violation of Wal-Mart policy.
Jacobs denied the allegations and demanded Roehm retract her statements by last Wednesday.
When she refused, Jacobs sued in Benton County, Ark., Circuit Court, where Wal-Mart is based.
"All these statements are wholly false and were made with malice," said Jacobs' complaint, filed Friday.
The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages and an order barring Roehm from making false statements.
Roehm was fired in December amid accusations she had an affair with a subordinate, accepted gifts from suppliers and discussed getting a job at an ad agency that handled Wal-Mart's account, Advertising Age reported.
She denied the allegations and claimed she was really fired for rocking the boat by seeking to overhaul the company's marketing message.
