Wells Fargo Sued by Ex-Manager Who Said Bank Faked Diversity

Core Viewpoint - Wells Fargo & Co. is facing a lawsuit from a former manager, Joseph Bruno, who alleges he was terminated for advocating for a more diverse workforce and opposing the practice of conducting interviews with minority candidates for positions that were already filled [1][2]. Group 1: Allegations and Lawsuit Details - Joseph Bruno claims he attempted for years to persuade Wells Fargo executives to adhere to the company's diversity and inclusion goals, but faced resistance [1][4]. - Bruno was the first to publicly allege in 2022 that Wells Fargo conducted sham interviews of minority candidates to create an appearance of diversity efforts, leading to a criminal investigation by the US Department of Justice, which was later closed without charges [2][6]. - The lawsuit includes allegations of discrimination and retaliation in violation of federal civil rights law, with Bruno seeking unspecified monetary damages [6]. Group 2: Employment History and Termination - Bruno, who rose to the position of regional manager overseeing 14 branches, claims he was criticized for his efforts to hire more minority applicants and was ultimately fired in 2021 [3][4]. - The bank accused Bruno of retaliating against an employee who alleged he favored Black applicants, which Bruno disputes as defamatory [4][6]. - Bruno faced criticism from a regional president for not adequately defending CEO Charles Scharf against accusations of racism following a controversial Zoom meeting [5]. Group 3: Bank's Response - Wells Fargo has not provided immediate comments on the lawsuit but has previously labeled Bruno's claims as baseless, asserting that any fake interviews were not widespread [3][6]. - The bank attempted to compel Bruno into closed-door arbitration, but the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority allowed him to pursue his claims in open court [6].