Rumors have been swirling about possible misconduct involving H-1B visa employees at Walmart, with some reports suggesting that the company’s Global Tech division recently saw its vice president let go in connection with the issue.
A few days ago, a message began circulating across social media platforms and in groups for Indian expats in the U.S. It read:
“A visit by Kapil Dev to Bentonville triggers a massive contractor layoff in Walmart.
Background: Rampant kickbacks is the norm in IT. One such incident came to light due to Kapil Dev being invited to a Walmart event couple months back to Walmart hq by some desi guy with deep pockets. How he got the deep pockets led to an investigation, one thing to another and alleged big kickback scheme by high level Walmart admin was exposed. Led to lay off of over 1000 contractors at Walmart.” (sic)
The message quickly spread on WhatsApp, Facebook, and other platforms, especially among Indian work visa holders and diaspora groups. Many linked it to Walmart’s recent announcement that about 1,500 corporate tech employees would be laid off.
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The allegations first surfaced on Blind, a forum where verified employees share workplace experiences. One user described a “major fraud” at the U.S.-based retail giant. CTOL Digital Solutions, an IT consultancy based in Switzerland, also reported on the claims but highlighted that Walmart had not confirmed or verified any of the details.
The rumors gained further attention on X, where a user identifying as an “H-1B whistleblower” shared them, and they also circulated on Reddit’s r/Layoffs forum. According to CTOL Digital Solutions, Walmart reportedly ended contracts with Caspex-sourced contractors over a kickback scheme that favored certain staffing agencies within its network. The connection to H-1B visa holders, however, comes primarily from the X account.
On social media, a Bentonville resident appeared to confirm the rumors, saying a Walmart vice president was fired, deleted all social media accounts, and was tied to the vendor that had invited Kapil Dev. “The reason Kapil Dev is being brought into picture is because the vendors who were let go did work for this company who brought Kapil Dev to Bentonville. The same company who was giving kick back to the so-called VP,” the user wrote.
In reality, Kapil Dev had been invited to Walmart Global Tech in Bentonville, Arkansas, in May 2025 as part of its “Visionary Voices” series, where he spoke to Walmart associates.
Some individuals said anonymously that the alleged executive’s social media accounts had indeed disappeared. One Indian professional who requested anonymity commented, “What happened in Walmart has been normalized by WITCH companies,” alleging, “Directors and VPs in companies are paid off to secure lucrative outsourcing contracts.” Others expressed sympathy for employees caught up in the fallout.
“Based on searches, reports of Walmart terminating ~1,200 contractors linked to Caspex and a VP kickback scandal appear in forums like Blind and Reddit, but remain unconfirmed rumors—no official Walmart statement exists as of Aug 23, 2025,” Grok stated after undergoing such claims.
A Reddit post on the r/nri forum highlighted the potential impact, titled, “How the Walmart VP Kickback Scam Will Hurt Indians in the U.S.” Commenters were divided as some insisted that such kickbacks are “very common,” while one acknowledged that it could “sour” perceptions.
It stated, “yeah people are not blind – it’s completely expected that the West’s mindset would sour over the blatant displays of nepotism that have been going on for the last 50 years.” Another user commented, “history shows what happens when a community gets branded as scammers — violence always follows.” The original poster remarked, “Time to pack up and build something real rather than living on mercy of others.”
Even if unverified, the speculation has rattled many in the immigrant community. “What’s concerning is that this kind of speculation just makes everyone more paranoid,” said Mumbai-based immigration expert Swapnil Devre. “I’ve got clients texting me at all hours asking if their jobs are safe because of some unverified forum post.”
Devre cautioned that no credible sources have confirmed the rumors. “I am taking the reports with a huge grain of salt. These stories started popping up on Blind and some Reddit threads, but I haven’t seen Walmart actually confirm any of it. No press releases, no SEC filings, nothing official. For something this big, you’d expect some kind of corporate statement,” he said.
Walmart’s Global CTO Suresh Kumar had earlier told employees in May: “In Global Tech, we are evolving teams across the organization, with a focus on simplifying our structure to facilitate speed and innovation.” He added that layoffs would “remove layers of complexity” as the company adapts to rapid technological change.
Still, rumors persisted that favoritism and fraud in hiring may have played a role. But Walmart denied any visa link in a statement to Hindustan Times: “Following an investigation, Walmart recently terminated one vendor and a small number of U.S.-based associates. This investigation had nothing to do with H-1B visas.”
Devre explained why Indians dominate H-1B approvals: “Indians get about 70% of H-1B approvals because that’s who’s graduating from American universities in STEM fields. It’s not some conspiracy, it’s just supply and demand. And because of the per-country green card caps, my Indian clients are looking at 20-30 year waits for permanent residence. The H-1B lottery becomes their only lifeline to stay legal while they’re stuck in this endless queue. So yeah, they’re going to try every legitimate option available.”
He added that the Walmart case—if true—was about “corporate compliance, not the H-1B program itself.”
As speculation lingers on X, Reddit, and Blind, many Indians fear the negative publicity could further stigmatize the work visa community and reinforce existing bias. While some dismiss the rumors as pure conjecture, others insist there may be credible reasons to suspect wrongdoing.
Under the Trump administration, USCIS ramped up efforts to prevent fraud in the H-1B visa lottery system. Recent dips in registration numbers have raised questions about whether increased scrutiny is a factor. Devre explained: “The registration numbers have been all over the place too. Last year we saw like 780,000 applications, this year it dropped to around 480,000. USCIS claims their fraud prevention stuff is working, which is probably true to some extent. But honestly the ‘gaming the system’ narrative misses the point. When you have a lottery system with terrible odds, people are naturally going to look for any edge they can get within the rules. That’s human nature, not some cultural flaw.”
(Staff Writer Shubhangi Chowdhury contributed to this story.)