A financial analyst working for Citibank, Szabolcs Fekete, faced the legal ramifications of his questionable expense claims, which included charging the bank for two meals. In a recent court case in the UK, Fekete’s attempt to contest his dismissal on the grounds of wrongful and unfair termination was unsuccessful.
A British judge rendered a verdict favoring Citibank, asserting that the bank was justified in terminating Fekete’s employment due to his gross misconduct. Fekete had dishonestly submitted expenses for a work trip to Amsterdam in July 2022, falsely claiming that he had consumed two sandwiches, two coffees, and two pasta dishes during the trip when, in reality, he had shared these meals with his partner.
Fekete, who served as a financial crime expert in Citibank’s London office, defended himself against the allegations, but his explanations fell short of convincing the court. In his email response to the company’s inquiry about the expenses, Fekete asserted that he was alone on the business trip and had consumed two small coffees. He claimed to have eaten one sandwich for lunch and saved the second for his dinner later in the day.
He argued that his expenses were well within the bank’s daily limit of 100 euros ($105) and questioned the need to justify his eating habits in such detail.
Subsequently, Citibank initiated an investigation, during which Fekete eventually confessed that his partner had accompanied him on the trip. However, he continued to insist that he had consumed all the food himself.
Fekete later cited personal issues, including the recent loss of his grandmother and his medical leave from work, as contributing factors to his behavior during the expenses claim investigation. He claimed to be under medication while responding to inquiries about his expenses.
Following a September hearing, Employment Judge Caroline Illing ruled in favor of Citibank. The judge emphasized that the central issue was not the monetary value of the expenses but rather Fekete’s failure to provide a truthful and complete account of the events. Judge Illing stressed the importance of honesty as a fundamental requirement for Citibank employees.
The judgment, dated September 19, was initially reported by the Financial Times on Monday.
