This post is written as part of AOL Money & Finance's Best & Worst 2006. To crown Joya as one of the laughingstocks of the corporate world this year or to see other dumbest moments in business, go here.
It's a really tough year for mediocre corporate scandals, you know the ones: options backdating, restated earnings. Yawn. No other year in memory has been so excellent as fodder for the BloggingStocks-sponsored musical (you know we're going to win a dozen Tonys): The Really Stupid Corporate Spy Who Loved Me. It's kind of a mouthful, but just wait until you hear it set to music.
And wait until you get to the opening scene, Amey Stone has already written some of the dialogue. It's set in a park somewhere in the city of Atlanta (envision: 1996 Olympics logo still visible in the background). There are some people in dark trench coats and red polo shirts, handing off a box of Girl Scout cookies to some people in dark trench coats and bright blue polo shirts. Inside? The secret recipe to Coca-Cola.
The real story is nearly just as much fun. Joya Williams, an administrative assistant, called someone at PepsiCo, Inc. (NYSE:PEP) claiming to be a Coca-Cola Company (NYSE:KO) executive. Named "Dirk." [Shivers of love over how adorably stupid this all is!] She offered to sell a number of trade secrets, including a sample of a new Coca-Cola beverage, to the company's rivals. The FBI then got involved and stuffed cash in a box of Girl Scout cookies to do the handoff. Now? The poor woman's going on trial for stealing trade secrets and confidential documents in January.
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