Rodney McMullen, the former CEO of Kroger, has been ordered by an Ohio judge to disclose reasons for his mysterious resignation as part of a nearly two-year-old lawsuit involving singer Jewel. The judge, Christian Jenkins, ruled that McMullen must explain what led to his exit from the company and provide details about those involved.
McMullen forfeited over $11 million in bonus payments when he stepped down from his role in March. His attorneys had sought a protective order in the case, claiming that questioning him about his resignation would be “embarrassing” but the judge disagreed.
The lawsuit against Kroger involves allegations of a breach of partnership agreement between Jewel and her business partner Trevor Drinkwater over the company’s annual Wellness Festival event. The court papers say that Kroger “unilaterally terminated the partnership” on “wholly manufactured and easily disprovable grounds.” Jewel and her team claim to have lost over $7 million in profits as a result.
The judge noted that McMullen’s reasons for resigning could be relevant to his credibility and “the existence of an allegedly corrupt corporate culture at Kroger.” However, without knowing the basis for the alleged embarrassment, it is impossible to weigh it against relevancy and proportionality.
It remains to be seen whether McMullen’s response will become public. The judge ordered that his response be hand-delivered to his chambers.
Source: https://www.businessinsider.com/kroger-former-ceo-rodney-mcmullen-reveal-reason-resigned-singer-jewel-2025-8