The Trash Bin That Cost Her Career: Who Is Angie Báez? JPMorgan DEI Executive Fired After Viral Knicks Parade Video

A six-figure career at one of the world's most powerful banks came to an abrupt and very public end over a trash bin, after a woman was filmed emptying a public rubbish container onto a Manhattan street before carrying away the Knicks-themed bin during New York's championship parade.

The footage, which has amassed millions of views across social media, identified the woman as Angie Báez, 40, a senior JPMorgan Chase executive whose position at the bank quickly came under scrutiny. The incident rapidly escalated from a fleeting parade moment into a viral controversy with major professional consequences.

Fan Spotted Taking Knicks-Themed Trash Bin

The controversy erupted after a video posted online on 19 June began circulating widely, eventually surpassing 5.5 million views. The footage appears to show Báez, dressed in New York Knicks colours, emptying the contents of a blue-and-orange public rubbish bin onto a Manhattan street before lifting the container and walking away with it.

The Knicks-branded bin had been placed along the championship parade route, where an estimated two million fans gathered to celebrate the team's first title in decades.

Images later shared on social media appear to show Báez travelling on the New York City subway with the bin and posing for photographs alongside it, treating the container as an unusual souvenir from the historic event.

Báez attended the parade as a fan and had no official connection to JPMorgan Chase during the celebrations, reports indicated.

Who Is Angie Báez?

Before the viral video placed her at the centre of national attention, Báez had built a career focused on diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives across major American companies.

At the time of the incident, she served as Executive Director of Community and Industry Engagement for Card and Connected Commerce at JPMorgan Chase, a role she had held for more than a year, according to her LinkedIn profile.

Prior to that, Báez worked as Executive Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at The Infatuation, the New York-based restaurant review platform acquired by JPMorgan Chase as part of its expansion into lifestyle and consumer content.

Her wider career included senior diversity and inclusion roles at Squarespace, Saks Fifth Avenue, Hudson's Bay, and Saks Off 5th, where she worked on corporate culture and workplace equity initiatives.

Beyond her corporate positions, Báez is also understood to have co-founded Same Page Co., a queer and BIPOC-owned talent agency focused on representation in media and creative industries.

A biography previously published by The Infatuation described her as one of the industry's 'brightest voices', noting her commitment to inclusion and cultural representation across food media and beyond.

JPMorgan Chase's Swift Response

JPMorgan Chase moved quickly after the video gained traction online. According to a New York Post exclusive, the bank launched an internal review shortly after the footage began circulating over the weekend. By Tuesday, 23 June, a spokesperson confirmed: 'This employee is no longer with the company.'

The development turned a parade-related incident into a broader corporate story, prompting debate around accountability and the professional consequences of viral social media moments.

The financial implications may also have been significant. In a post on X, financial media analyst Jon Najarian estimated Báez's total annual compensation package at JPMorgan Chase likely ranged between approximately $250,000 (about £189,000) and $350,000 (about £265,000), including salary, bonuses, and equity awards.

Despite the backlash, no criminal charges have been filed. The New York Police Department said it has not received any complaints relating to the incident, and Báez has not been charged with any offence.