A JPMorgan Chase executive has been terminated from her position after video surfaced showing her emptying a public trash can onto a Manhattan sidewalk and then taking the receptacle. The incident occurred during the New York Knicks' NBA championship parade on Thursday.
Angie Báez, 40, was no longer employed by the banking giant as of Tuesday, a Chase spokesperson confirmed to the Daily Mail. The footage identified Báez, who was wearing Knicks colors, as she tipped the contents of a limited-edition trash bin, painted in the team's colors for the celebration, onto the pavement. She then proceeded to take the bin with her, with another image appearing to show her smiling as she boarded a subway.
The events unfolded along the Canyon of Heroes during the Knicks' open-top bus parade, which marked the team's first championship in 53 years. Millions of fans gathered to celebrate the team's victory.
The New York City Department of Sanitation condemned Báez's actions, labeling the behavior illegal, antisocial, and "incredibly stupid." The department stated that dumping trash on the street and stealing public property are both illegal and antisocial behaviors. Authorities noted that performing such acts on camera added an element of extreme foolishness.
Báez had previously held the title of Executive Director of Community and Industry Engagement for Card and Connected Commerce at JPMorgan Chase. Her LinkedIn profile, which has since been deleted, also detailed her prior work in diversity and inclusion roles at various companies, including The Infatuation, Squarespace, and Saks Fifth Avenue. Her biography at The Infatuation praised her dedication to making the food-media industry more equitable.
The NYPD stated on June 20 that it had not received any complaints related to the incident, and Báez has not been charged with a crime. New York law defines theft of property valued under $1,000 as petit larceny, a misdemeanor, and littering can incur separate penalties.
The trash can incident was one of several notable occurrences during the parade festivities. Other incidents captured on camera included a fight between two fans and player Tyler Kolek briefly leaving the team bus to interact with fans, leading to a temporary misunderstanding with law enforcement before he was allowed to continue.