Antitrust Lawyer Blog Commentary on Current Developments

ANOTHER HOME DEPOT EMPLOYEE PLEADS GUILTY IN CONSPIRACY TO DEFRAUD COMPANY

On January 15, 2009, Ronald K. Johnston, a former employee of Home Depot, pled guilty to conspiring to commit wire fraud and for two counts of filing false tax returns in an attempt to defraud Home Depot.
The conspiracy took place between 2005 and 2007. Specifically, Mr. Johnston received kickbacks from foreign suppliers seeking to do business with Home Depot. In return, Mr. Jonhnston purchased supplies on behalf of Home Depot on less than the most advantageous terms for Home Depot. Anthony Tesvich, a former Home Depot employee convicted in June 2008 on similar charges, passed on kickbacks to Mr. Johnston worth thousands of dollars and paid for home improvement expenses for Mr. Johnston’s residence. As a part of the same investigation, on July 11, 2008, James P. Robinson, a former Divisional Merchandising Manager for Flooring at Home Depot, pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and two counts of tax evasion related to a scheme to defraud Home Depot.


Andre Barlow

(202) 589-1834
abarlow@dbmlawgroup.com

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