Tom Coughlin Dodges Jail Time
Former Wal-Mart executive Tom Coughlin was sentenced once again in his trial for tax evasion and fraud. After amending his previous sentence (which the prosecution considered “too lenient") to include 1,500 hours of community service, Coughlin nearly kissed politely thanked the judge for not sending him to jail. Click here for our archives following the case.
A former Wal-Mart executive avoided a prison term Friday when a federal judge resentenced him for tax evasion and fraud convictions.
The judge added only 1,500 hours of community service to Tom Coughlin’s punishment, and Coughlin said he was grateful.
“Judge, I just want to thank you for your fairness,” he said.
In 2006, U.S. District Judge Robert Dawson had sentenced Coughlin to 27 months of home detention, five years’ probation, a $50,000 fine and $400,000 restitution.
In an appeal by federal prosecutors, the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals last year said the sentence was too lenient and sent the case back to Dawson.
During the resentencing, the judge said Coughlin, 58, had a history of community service, no criminal record and has medical problems. Dawson promised a 30-page sentencing memorandum elaborating on his reasoning.
Formerly the No. 2 executive at Wal-Mart, Coughlin was accused of stealing gift cards and having the Bentonville-based company cover the cost of other items, for a total loss that Wal-Mart estimated at about $500,000. Officials say Coughlin has paid his fine and restitution.
In January 2006, Coughlin pleaded guilty to wire fraud and tax evasion. He faced a possible sentence of more than 28 years in prison and fines of $1.35 million.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Plumlee objected to the lack of prison time and called a Bureau of Prisons doctor to the stand. Dr. Jeff Allen, chief of health programs for the bureau’ central office in Washington, testified that the prisons could take adequate care of Coughlin.
Plumlee said the government would have to review the judge’s decision before deciding whether to appeal the sentence again.
Dawson said the sentence he gave Coughlin is substantial punishment.
“Coughlin has suffered greatly, for he had it all and squandered his success. For that he is paying the price and will be punished for the rest of his life,” the judge wrote.
Posted by Alex Goldschmidt on Monday, February 04, 2008
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COMMENTS
Isn’t our judicial system a JOKE!
It seems the more that you steal the lighter your sentence. If you steal enough you don’t even get brought up on charges. Take for instance the S&L;’s Neil Bush and even a neighbor of mine, Stole hundreds of millions, no joke, 342 million, stolen by Swan an Oklahoma banker who was found “guilty” and his sentence was suspended, he was ordered to repay, get this, 20 million. That number was knocked down in an appeal, to 2 million because of (I couldn’t make this up) “financial hardship”
Now, let someone steal a case of Ramon Noodles and a gallon of pickles to feed a starving family and that poor bastard would get 5 years in the penitentiary! Where’s the justice in this country?
Big D in
Monday, February 04 at 08:18 PM
Appeal it again! The judge is obviously swayed by his power and money! You are eating away at the fat man’s money. Keep after his wallet and you will hurt him since the judge obviously has given into his “Power”. All the letters of support to the judge are a joke. He ignored the letters explaining what a pig Coughlin is to everyone he comes in contact with. I say “Hit him with another appeal!”.
The Dutchess in Bentonville, AR
Monday, February 04 at 08:51 PM
“...with liberty and justice? for all.”
ScrewedbyWal-Mart in Anytown, America
Monday, February 04 at 09:08 PM
”...with liberty and justice? for all.”
If you are looking for JUSTICE in this country, you need look no further than the word JUST US, and of course the “US” being only the wealthy.
Big D in
Monday, February 04 at 10:48 PM
Tom didn’t realize Sam was gone and business as usual had become a felony.
In fairness to Tom, he was well-liked by associates and I’d pay to read a tell-all* from that good ol’ boy.
*I also encourage David Glass to pen his memoir.
Ken V in Texas
Tuesday, February 05 at 05:01 AM
“*I also encourage David Glass to pen his memoir.”
The only way we’re likely to see this happen, is if Glass becomes a government witness and is given complete immunity. He of course wouldn’t want anything he said, to “be held against him in a court of law.”
This is the same David Glass who said:
“Our priorities are that we want to dominate North America first, then South America, and then Asia, and then Europe,” ~ Wal-Mart’s President and CEO David Glass told USA Today business reporter Lorrie Grant November 10, 1999.
ScrewedbyWal-Mart in Anytown, America
Tuesday, February 05 at 08:20 AM
Yup, the same one. Also the same one that said the Wal-Mart BOD “doesn’t listen to me anymore”.
He was at the helm during the metamorphosis from Sam’s Dream to the Beast of Bentonville but I wouldn’t expect any inside dope from him until he liquidates his WMT holdings.
Ken V in Texas
Tuesday, February 05 at 09:14 AM
Thing is… if they really wanted to sentence him to prison time, they would have made him work at WalMart. The Gordian knot that this particular WalMart corruption problem presents simply evades the justice of Tom pushing carts all day at his favorite retailer where his health care concerns could be watched over by CheckUps.
WalMart- Justice? Tom Coughlin’s problem is that he got caught at the circus with the wrong size clown suit.
SanDiegoView in
Wednesday, February 06 at 08:55 AM
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