Alfred Hitchock’s own favorite movie was the 1943 classic, Shadow of a Doubt. It’s the story of a man who is suspected of being the Merry Widower. The man is suspected of marrying women, then killing them for their money. Apparently, the executives at Wal-Mart took it a step further, but without having to kill anyone.

From 1993 to 1998, Wal-Mart took out insurance policies on 350,000 “rank and file” employees without their knowledge. To be fair they are not the only corporation in on the death pool. Such corporations as Golden Corral, Winn Dixie, and Camelot Music have all been accused of doing the same thing.

Wal-Mart is accused of using personal information of employees to obtain life insurance policies without notifying the employees, which is legal in Delaware, Georgia, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Vermont. When an employee dies the company keeps the life insurance benefit. In one case a woman’s widower is suing Wal-Mart for the $80,000 in benefits he believes was ill-gotten by the company.

Wal-Mart has already settled $5 million in lawsuits by giving back 100% of the benefits.