Worker Says Macy’s Bosses Threatened Her|After She Stumbled Onto Their Theft Ring

HOUSTON (CN) - A saleswoman says she discovered a theft ring stealing merchandise from a loading dock at Macy's BayBrook Mall, apparently run by the store's operations manager, and when she expressed concern, the manager had her assaulted, harassed, arrested on false charges, threatened with bodily harm, and falsely promised her promotions and raises if she shut up about it.

Nancy Ghisalbert says Macy's suffered more than $2 million in losses from theft at its BayBrook store in a single year. She says the store's senior managers attributed this to "charitable contributions, write-offs for damaged goods, or theft by employees."

She says that after she expressed concern about the blatant thefts, she was repeatedly threatened by truck drivers who complained to her boss that she would "blow the whistle." She says her boss also threatened her with physical harm.

Among the most alarming allegations in this 32-page lawsuit is the suspicious death of a Home Depot manager near the BayBrook Mall. Ghisalbert says that after the alleged head of the theft ring, store operations manager John Hagardt, had her assaulted, arrested and threatened, Macy's fired him, along with "various mid-level managers and dock employees who worked with Mr. Hagardt ... A number of those former Macy's employees joined Mr. Hagardt at the Home Depot store. Soon after, that Home Depot store began to sustain ever increasing losses emanating from its loading area. In the Fall of 2007, the store manager of that Home Depot store came into Macy's BayBrook Mall store and spoke with Nancy about the suspected theft taking place at Home Depot. He asked Nancy whether she knew if the Macy's BayBrook Mall store had ever sustained losses from its loading dock. When Nancy explained to Home Depot's store manager that she had seen and reported suspected theft of the docks of Macy's BayBrook Mall store, he was furious and stated he would report Mr. Hagardt and the other former Macy's employees and manager to various investigating agencies. Soon after this conversation, the store manager for that Home Depot store was found dead. His death is on information and belief the subject of an ongoing investigation. Nancy was subsequently approached and advised by several federal investigators to take care of herself while at work at Macy's."

She demands punitive damages for assault, retaliation, discrimination and negligence. She is represented by David Ghisalbert.

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