Citibank wins case after sacking banker over two-sandwich lunch claim

[Demovictory9]

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Mr Fekete, who worked at Citi for seven years as an analyst specialising in financial crime, had travelled to Amsterdam for work between 3 and 5 July last year.

On returning to London, he filed an expense claim for food and drink which he believed was covered by the bank's €100 (£86.70) daily allowance.

However, the manager he submitted his claim to queried whether he had consumed all the food and refreshments he was seeking reimbursement for.

In an email exchange detailed in the employment tribunal ruling, Mr Fekete wrote: "I was on the business trip by myself and... I had 2 coffees as they were very small."

He further stated: "On that day I skipped breakfast and only had 1 coffee in the morning. For lunch I had 1 sandwich with a drink and 1 coffee in the restaurant, and took another coffee back to the office with me and had the second sandwich in the afternoon… which also served as my dinner."

Mr Fekete told Citi: "All my expenses are within the €100 daily allowance. Could you please outline what your concern is as I don't think I have to justify my eating habits to this extent."

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Citi escalated the matter to its security and investigations services department, which also questioned Mr Fekete about whether he had shared a meal of pasta pesto and a bolognaise with his partner, to which he replied "no".

The banker later admitted that he had shared meals with his partner. He also said that he was having personal difficulties following the death of his grandmother, had taken six weeks of medical leave and was on strong medication when he replied to emails

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