When Ashley Buchanan accepted a lucrative offer to be Kohl's CEO in January, the company's chairman lauded him as "the ideal candidate." Less than four months later, Buchanan was unceremoniously fired by the Kohl's board of directors.

Kohl's filing revealed that the vendor in question had secured a multimillion-dollar consulting contract with unusually favorable terms.

Ashley Buchanan was fired as Kohl's CEO after the company learned that he allegedly told the retailer to engage in a “highly unusual” business deal with his romantic partner.