Citibank Employee Fired After Lying About Having Two Sandwiches and Expensing ThemAnalyst Szabolcs Fekete was based in London in 2022.

ByEmily Rella

Getty Images
Citibank building in Canada Square, at the heart of Canary Wharf financial district on 15th August 2023 in London, United Kingdom.

A Citigroup employee's wrongful dismissal claim was dismissed this week after the employee was fired from the bank for lying about dining expenses on a work trip.

Szabolcs Fekete, an analyst who worked for Citi in London,was fired afterordering two sandwiches, two coffees, and two orders of pasta during a company trip to Amsterdam in July 2022 and lied by claiming both orders were for him — but the food was actually for himself and his partner.

"I was on the business trip by myself, and I had [two] coffees as they were very small," Fekete reportedlywrote in an emailafter his manager questioned his expenses. "I don't think I have to justify my eating habits to this extent."

Citi then fired Fekete after he admitted to sharing the meals with his partner as the bank'sexpense policystates that all employees must "list attendees whose meals they submit for reimbursement," also noting that employees are not allowed to expense meals for employees' partners.

Fekete then sued following his termination, but the case was dismissed by Employment Judge Caroline Illing, who said that Citi "requires a commitment to honesty from its employees" and that the company was justified in its termination of Fekete's employment.

"I have accepted that the expense report may have been submitted in error," the judge reportedly said. "However, I am satisfied that a dismissal in relation to the misrepresentation allegation alone would fall within the band of a reasonable response by a reasonable employer."

A Citibank representative toldUSA Today银行被t“满意的决定”he judge.

Citigroupwas downjust under 6.7% in a one-year period as of Tuesday afternoon.

Emily Rella

Entrepreneur Staff

Senior News Writer

Emily Rella is a Senior News Writer at Entrepreneur.com. Previously, she was an editor at Verizon Media. Her coverage spans features, business, lifestyle, tech, entertainment, and lifestyle. She is a 2015 graduate of Boston College and a Ridgefield, CT native. Find her on Twitter at @EmilyKRella.

Related Topics

Business News

This Man Won a $22 Million Lottery Jackpot, But He and His Wife Won't Tell Their Kids — Here's Why

An anonymous caller named "John" shared his story on a recent episode of "The Ramsey Show."

Business Plans

5 Ways to Be Generous While Still Being a Frugal Business Owner

You can be charitable and considerate without breaking the bank.

Social Media

Free Webinar | November 16: Influencer Outreach 101: Strategy, Tactics, Examples, and Templates

Uncover strategies, tactics, real-world examples, and templates that will connect with influencers effectively and elevate your brand's visibility. Register now →

Side Hustle

5 Critical Lessons I Learned Turning My Side Hustle Into a Million-Dollar Business

These tried-and-true tips will save you time, scale your business, and make you money.

领导

What Expert Mountaineers Can Teach You About Accomplishing Your Most Daunting Tasks

Use these tips to successfully summit your next challenging project.