Chris's Blog

Wal-Mart would not comment on the filing.

Coughlin retired as a Wal-Mart officer last year but remained on the board until March 25, when an internal probe turned up expense account improprieties of up to half-a-million dollars. Three Wal-Mart employees, including a company officer, lost their jobs, in connection with the probe, and the company turned over materials to federal prosecutors.

Coughlin has denied any wrongdoing, and his lawyer is pressing the company for documents given to federal prosecutors related to his conduct.

U.S. Attorney Bob Balfe's office in Fort Smith has not discussed the case and refused again Friday to say whether it is conducting a probe.

A Wall Street Journal report last week cited former employees as saying Coughlin had diverted thousands of dollars in expense account reimbursements for secret payments to union members willing to identify pro-union employees at stores. Wal-Mart has strongly denied that any such payments were made.

The allegations prompted The United Food and Commercial Workers Union, which is trying to organize workers at Wal-Mart, to file unfair labor practice charges against the retailer.

According to Friday's filing, Coughlin received bonus and other income of $3.09 million on top of his salary for Wal-Mart's most recent fiscal year.

The filing also makes note of the company's retirement agreement with Coughlin that obligates him to maintain "cooperation and confidentiality" with the company, and to not compete with Wal-Mart through Jan. 24, 2012.

Meanwhile, Chief Executive Lee Scott had compensation of $12.59 million for fiscal 2005, including salary of $1.24 million, $4.12 million in incentive payments and $6.33 million in restricted stock payments.

In trading Friday, Wal-Mart fell 26 cents to close at $47.70 on the New York Stock Exchange. The stock has traded in a 52-week range of $47.77 to $59.15.