Last year, the Coldplay scandal involving Astronomer’s former CEO Andy Byron and HR executive Kristin Cabot took the world by storm. And now, another unlikely case of a senior company executive going viral on social media has backfired on the person concerned. In other words, basketball fans can no longer escape Angie Baez’s name, as their case has turned into a stark warning for all those keen on swooping away NBA-themed items as mementos.

Baez, for one, is not likely to ever forget this viral stunt-gone-wrong.

JPMorgan Chase employee fired after viral ‘Knicks trash’ video

According to The New York Post, a woman recently caught on camera dumping all items of a trash can on the street just so they could steal it, presumably as a souvenir, during New York City’s Knicks championship parade, is facing the repercussions of their actions.

Finally identified as 40-year-old Angie Baez, a director at JPMorgan Chase, their LinkedIn profile shows that they were promoted to Executive Director of Community and Industry Engagement for Card and Connected Commerce at one of the most prestigious banks in the world more than a year ago.

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However, now a JPMorgan Chase spokesperson has confirmed to The New York Post, “This employee is no longer with the company.” Other sources cited in the US report suggested that the former executive’s recent incident, linked to the NBA championship team, may have been looked into after the video made the rounds on the internet.

It was also reported that they attended the celebratory NBA parade of their own volition.

Even the New York City Department of Sanitation has flagged their actions since then. In a statement to the NY Post, US authorities said, “Dumping trash onto the street and stealing public property for your own personal use are both illegal, antisocial behaviors, and not what New Yorkers do. On top of all that, doing both on camera is incredibly stupid.”

As of June 20, the New York Police Department had not received any complaints about the now-viral incident. The former JPMorgan Chase employee hadn’t been charged with a crime by then, either.

Update: NYC’s sanitation department has since addressed the matter on X, affirming that the stolen signature bin has been returned. “Home sweet home,” the sanitation department wrote on X alongside a picture of the returned basket. “Welcome back! We missed you!”

“Yes, this is the same basket that was in the video,” department spokesman Vincent Gragnani said, as quoted by The New York Post. “It was returned to us, we removed two stickers from it, and took the photo ourselves at our Worth Street Headquarters – no AI used.”

After the viral theft, the sanitation department spokesman also noted that Baez had turned in the good themselves. The former JPMorgan employee has been hit with a $75 fine for littering and $100 for impeding Department of Sanitation operations, NY Post reported.

What did the viral Knicks fan video show?

Videos seen on social media over the weekend put the spotlight on a woman wearing a Knicks jersey, as they put together an outfit in the team’s signature colours: blue and orange.

One such clip with Baez in focus showed them emptying the contents of a Knicks-themed trash can onto a sidewalk. Eventually, they just walk away with it.

A different video also turned the camera on them as they were seen riding the subway with the same bin.

What else is known about Angie Baez?

After Baez’s story account took over the internet, their LinkedIn profile could no longer be accessed. However, a Google search brought up traces of a now-removed post from the past: “Excited share the next step in my career journey via my recent promotion to Executive Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at JPMorgan.”

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The Org website, which bills itself as the “world’s biggest network of public org charts” and aims to make organisations more transparent, put together their previous professional engagements. The platform noted that Baez’s work experience dates back to 2006. Introducing the now-viral Knicks fan with the pronouns they/their/them, The Org further highlighted that Baez started as an Executive Assistant at Riverside Church in Ft Lauderdale.

From 2019 to 2020, they were the Head of Diversity & Inclusion and Manager of Diversity & Inclusion at Saks Fifth Avenue, Hudson’s Bay, and Saks OFF 5th. Thereafter, Angie took on the role of VP of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) at the New York-based review website The Infatuation, as also reported by The New York Post.

The Org also shed light on Baez apparently co-founding a queer and Black, indigenous and People of Colour-owned talent agency, Same Page Co., which is “focused on increasing representation and equity in media and industry. It works with artists/talent on creative projects, photoshoots, strategy, and business affairs.”
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