JPMorgan Chase Fires Executive After Trash Can Incident During Knicks Parade

JPMorgan Chase has fired Angie Báez, an executive director, following an incident during the New York City Knicks championship parade where she was seen emptying a public trash can onto the street and then taking the receptacle. The bank confirmed Báez is no longer with the company after reviewing the situation.

Video clips circulating online show Báez, dressed in Knicks attire, tipping the contents of a limited-edition blue-and-orange trash can onto a Manhattan sidewalk. She was subsequently seen leaving with the bin, and additional footage captured her on the subway with the stolen item.

Báez, 40, held the position of executive director of community and industry engagement for card and connected commerce at JPMorgan Chase for over a year. Prior to this role, she served as executive director of diversity, equity, and inclusion at The Infatuation, a review website acquired by Chase as part of its expansion into lifestyle content. Her professional background also includes diversity and inclusion roles at Squarespace, Saks Fifth Avenue, Hudson’s Bay, and Saks Off 5th.

Her LinkedIn profile indicated a dedication to making a positive impact and fostering a more equitable media industry. She is also noted as a co-founder of Same Page Co., a talent agency focused on increasing representation for queer and Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) individuals in media and industry.

While Báez reportedly attended the parade in a personal capacity, her actions have drawn public attention. The New York City Department of Sanitation stated that dumping trash and stealing public property are illegal and antisocial behaviors. The NYPD has indicated no complaints have been filed, and Báez has not been charged with a crime. Under New York law, theft of property valued under $1,000 is typically classified as petit larceny, a misdemeanor offense.