Search »

Wal-Mart, Until Now Mostly Mum, Swings Back at Roehm

Retail giant Wal-Mart, which seemed to downplay in the media the “inappropriate relationship” aspect of its firing two top marketing officials in December, has now asserted in a court filing that Julie Roehm and Sean Womack engaged in a sexual relationship.

Roehm, reached by The New York Times in Las Vegas, has denied the affair, writes Reuters. She also said she had not had job discussions with DraftFCB, another claim made by the retailer in the suit.
Roehm filed a suit against Wal-Mart in January claiming that the retailer breached her contract and damaged her reputation. In the counterclaim, Wal-Mart provided romantic emails that Roehm and Womack exchanged, such as one in which Roehm talked about kissing Womack.
Wal-Mart, under Roehm’s direction, awarded its $580 million advertising account to DraftFCB and Carat USA in October. In December, after the firings, it reopened bidding for the account. DraftFCB was not eligible to bid. In January, Wal-Mart selected the Martin Agency and MediaVest for the work.