SUBSCRIPTION ONLY Agencies New Claims In WPP Whistleblower Suit Allege Sony Probe Found Rebate Fraud The filing landed just days before a hearing on WPP’s bid to toss the lawsuit, as new claims say a major client’s findings back up the ad rebate allegations WPP By Kendra Barnett --> The ex-WPP executive suing his former employer for retaliation in a high-profile case alleging he was fired after trying to expose an illegal media rebate scheme now alleges that WPP client Sony came to the same conclusions after conducting an independent investigation.
In 2023, Chinese authorities detained (and later convicted ) three GroupM China execs over an illegal kickback scheme valued at ¥1.2 billion (roughly $176 million). In the aftermath of that scandal, Sony, a major WPP client, launched its own investigation into the holdco’s practices, according to the amended complaint filed Thursday in New York State Supreme Court on behalf of plaintiff Richard Foster.
Kendra Barnett is Adweek's senior tech reporter.
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