Ex-Kroger CEO Spared Detailing ‘Embarrassing’ Exit in Court Spat

Rodney McMullen, right, arrives at the federal courthouse in Portland, Oregon, on Sept. 4, 2024.Photographer: Jordan Gale/Bloomberg

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August 26, 2025 at 6:34 PM EDT

Ex-Kroger Co. Chief Executive Officer Rodney McMullen won a court order that bars questioning by lawyers about his sudden resignation this year after an internal investigation by the grocery store chain found ethical concerns.

Judge Christian Jenkins in Cincinnati agreed with McMullen that discussing the details surrounding his departure would be “embarrassing” and isn’t relevant to a 2023 breach-of-contract lawsuit by Grammy-nominated singer Jewel and an events company hired by Kroger to put on a wellness festival. In some cases, such pre-trial depositions are made public.