May 12, 2009

Ex-SC Johnson employee claims he's a 'whistleblower'

The Caledonia resident SC Johnson is suing for taking company property is planning to fight back.

Michael DeGuelle, SCJ's former state tax manager, said in an interview Tuesday he was fired on April 10 for reporting confidential company information to the U.S. Department of Labor.

DeGuelle, who worked for SCJ for 12 years, says he was acting as a "whistleblower," who reported potential corporate fraud to federal investigators. He believes his actions are protected under the laws put in place after corruption was uncovered at Enron and other major corporations.

He said he intends to lay out his case in court as early as June 1.

"I would suggest people stay tuned," DeGuelle said in a phone interview. "It's going to get a lot more interesting."

SC Johnson Spokeswoman Kelly Semrau did not respond to our attempt to contact her Tuesday. But she told The Journal Times in a May 5 article that DeGuelle's allegations of fraud are "completely and patently false."

SC Johnson is suing DeGuelle for allegedly trying to shake down the company. A lawsuit filed April 28 alleges DeGuelle attempted to trade confidential company documents for money and other benefits.

DeGuelle denied the charges. He said he routinely emailed documents home to work after business hours. He also said he deleted all company documents in his possession.

"I regularly sent work home to work on them," DeGuelle said. "We were allowed to send them from work to home."

"When they terminated me," he added, "I didn’t have anything at home. I certainly had documents on work computer. I worked on all kinds of confidential things there."

DeGuelle said he took the confidential information to the Department of Labor presuming he would be protected by the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, which was passed in 2002 to prevent corporate fraud.

He also said he brought his allegations, which he declined to reveal in detail, to company officials prior to being fired.

"I have no SCJ documents," DeGuelle said. "The only knowledge I have is in my head."

18 comments:

  1. Something about SCJ smells badly. Heard stories about their business dealings but didn't know if the stories were true. Anybody else going to spill the beans about the company?

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  2. Not taking sides here but I know a person that told me a few years ago that more was coming... Well, this might be it! Also, after 12 years of working there you dont have ONE SCJ related file in your posession? Come on. Everyone takes something with them for their next job.

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  3. I LOVE IT!!!

    It's about time that this "Family Company" is exposed.

    Say goodbye to some of your cushy jobs as you know it SCJ employees.

    On a side note, I've heard of many extra-marital affairs that have been going on inside that company for years and years (bosses/secretaries) which have ruined many marriages.

    I understand that happens in any business setting, however, this is after all a "family company" and should not be allowed by management with knowledge/involvement of these affairs. Right???

    I've got my popcorn ready, this should be GREAT!!

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  4. So many hard working people try to get into SCJ because it is a family company and it is steady. Too bad when people think it is the gravy train like city and county jobs... You have to be a who's who to get into that place. To bad your credentials and resume don't work....

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  5. I am going to reserve judgement until it does come out. The way the story read it seemed like this guy took stuff from SCJ. Only to find out it was Docs that he worked on, then to find out he doesn't have those. TMZ could have written this.

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  6. I commend Mr. DeGuelle for coming forward and exposing this crooked and unethical company. It's about time SCJ got the reality check they needed! This company has been screwing Racine and all of the citizens of Racine for many many years.

    I also commend Dustin and the Racine Post for accurately reporting on SCJ. The Journal Times has been reporting the usual SCJ propaganda for years and blowing SCJ smoke all over Racine. It's about time we got a news agency that reports the news for what it is.

    I'm anxiously awaiting the evidence Mr. DeGuelle has on "the dysfunctional family" company.

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  7. Dustin, is that you?

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  8. Take it from someone that knows - The information that Mr. DeGuelle has could send officers of SC Johnson to prison. Federal Income Tax evasion is a Federal felony that sends people to prison and gives the companys involved enormous fines.
    When the story comes out, the public will be literally shocked that a company of the stature of SC Johnson could be behaving in this manner. SC Johnson is caught - DeGuelle does have the evidence in his brain and I know he is absolutely not selling that evidence back to SC Johnson. I heard from a reliable source, DeGuelle wants justice and will not stop until both he and the government receive justice.

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  9. I hope Mr. DeGuelle stays safe because SCJ could use their money and influence to slither out of this one and harm him for coming forward. I wouldn't trust any Johnson family member as far as I can see them! They are all rats and snakes! I would love to see them and company officers behind bars.

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  10. You'll notice that the only people posting here are people who clearly just want a scandal because we all know Racine is a pretty boring place. Actual people at SCJ have real things to do.

    Well the only thing interesting in this story is Mr. DeGuelle. He's a closeted homosexual who just wants to complain. He took as many as many sick days as he possibly could. He was a terrible worker and never did work at home.

    Mike DeGuelle tried to extort the company so he could continue to sponge off of them after he had been fired and would not have to work. Why do you think he loves talking to the press? He's got nothing better to do.

    This whole thing is pretty boring and they're fighting over a tax credit. This isn't a gigantic conspiracy to commit fraud.

    He's just mad his previous suit didn't work and he may actually have to do some work in his life.

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  11. I agree with the first paragraph of the previous post. I am not privy to any other 'facts' offered in any other posts. I do do get a kick out of anonymous (5/13 10:29pm) posters that state "take it from someone that knows..." as though people have a tendency to believe what anonymous bloggers state.

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  12. It is sad to see someone have to battle like this. Mr. Deguelle will not find another job again in this state. His career is ruined by all of this. Good Luck fighting a large corporation with deep pockets! It may be a never ending battle

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  13. Look at the scam SCJ and Gov Doyle created to keep SCJ from paying taxes.Doyles a whore and SCJ is in bed with him.
    Money is the root of all evil.That will never change.

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  15. Look at who SCJ is in bed with...
    Gov Jim Doyle.
    Behind everyones backs and under the table SCJ is getting out of paying $190,000 a yr in taxes.

    Money is the root of all evil.

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  16. It is either Linda Mattie or Dan Wenzel that posted on May 14. Keep up the posting as this will only help out the case. You may wish, but you cannot stop the truth from coming out with your lies. Everyone will know what SCJ is all about in that Tax Department and Linda Mattie and Dan Wenzel can go hide under a rock.

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