A Division of NBCUniversal. In the viral video, Iannazzo can be heard referring to an employees immigration status and calling her an immigrant loser while demanding to know who put peanut butter in his sons drink. They do not reflect my values or my character. "During the investigation, employees reported that Iannazzo never told them about the peanut allergy but had only requested that there be no peanut butter in his drink," the police said. We appreciate the swift action by law enforcement and the judicial system in pursuing criminal charges for this unacceptable behavior.. I will be extending my apologies personally to the Robeks organization, particularly the staff that was working there that night. James Iannazzo, the former Merrill Lynch broker who was fired after a disorderly incident in a Connecticut smoothie shop, applied for a pretrial probation program . Going the extra mile for clients is never going out of my way., Scott Henry: Cy-Fair ISD School Board Member Fired Over Viral Comments. "Iannazzo was told to leave multiple times by the employees but remained inside and continued to yell insults at the employees," police said. Thanks for contacting us. NOT MY VIDEO. He threw the smoothie at me, and in my head I was just like, Wow. . After the hearing, Riccio expressed his appreciation for the judges decision. When asked on Twitter why no assault charge was filed, the Fairfield Police responded, CTs Assault statute requires the accused to cause injury, which in this case did not occur. Robeks has not commented about the incident. Apologizes Following Arrest For Racist, Violent Tirade At . TikTok/Fairfield Police The Connecticut teenage smoothie store worker who filmed the viral video of a Merrill Lynch financial advisers racist rant claimed he also threatened to kill us multiple times.. When faced with a dire situation for his son, Mr. Iannazzos parental instinct kicked in and he acted out of anger and fear. He threatened to kill us multiple times. The allergy notice is posted in-store, on printed menus and is available online to provide full ingredient transparency for guests, she said. He is scheduled to appear on Feb. 7 in State Superior Court in Bridgeport, Conn. Barbara Caruso, a spokeswoman for Robeks, called the outburst disturbing. 48-year-old James Iannazzo of Fairfield was charged with intimidation based on bigotry or bias, breach of peace, and criminal trespass after employees of the Robeks smoothie franchise at 2061 Black Rock . Ive identified this man as James Iannazzo of @MerrillLynch being racist and assaulting a minor, he tweeted. I feel terrible that I lost my composure so completely., Iannazzo continued, I was out of my mind with fear for him when I returned to Robeks, and I wish I had not done so. The manager of the Fairfield store, which is an independently owned franchise, was not immediately available for comment on Monday. With the rise of remote working options, some employees have found themselves living double lives, working two (or more) full time jobs at once. I cant say it did or did not have peanut butter in it it could have been cross-contaminated to where he did have an allergic reaction, Miranda told News 12. Hes a sports enthusiast and a Hip Hop lover. Iannazzo's lawyer Frank Riccio said in a statement, "He deeply regrets his actions and acted completely out of character. But Im good., Houston Heroes: Boss Takes Bullet to Save Employees Life. Connecticut law says a class B misdemeanor is punishable by up to six months in jail and a fine of up to $1,000. The tirade started over a smoothie, with a Connecticut man demanding to know who made a drink that he said triggered his sons severe allergic reaction to peanuts. We've received your submission. Roughly 30 minutes later, Iannazzo called 911 requesting an EMS response to his home forhis son, who was suffering from an allergic reaction. The employees told Mr. Iannazzo that they did not know who made the smoothie because there were four people working at the time. Social media sites widely shared the video, with some people condemning Iannazzo's actions and applauding his termination. ", "I had returned to Robek's to determine what ingredients were in the smoothie that I had previously ordered. The video was posted on social media by the Robeks workers and shared by ThatDaneshGuy, a popular TikTok user who exposes racist and other outrageous behavior in public and online, often using information to identify the people in viral videos. He started to call her racial slurs. According to police, the teen employees said Iannazzo never advised them of a peanut allergy and instead only asked that peanut butter not be used in the smoothie. and Privacy Policy. He wrote on his profile, Since joining Merrill Lynch Wealth Management in 1995, Ive worked with a loyal and growing number of clients whose lives demand fluency in a wide range of wealth considerations., Iannazzo added he works with, Active and retired corporate executives, investment professionals, physicians, attorneys, accountants and entrepreneurs. Chis Brown + Twitter Reacts, 25 Totally Accurate Tweets About The Snowfall Season 6 Premiere, LisaRaye Trends After False Report About Her Not Knowing Da Brat Was Pregnant, Tommie Lee Apologizes After Vile Remarks About Chris Browns Son. He will forever be known as the Fairfield Smoothie Guy, McShane said about the former Merrill Lynch worker, according to the outlet. Iannazzo said, I was out of my mind with fear for him when I returned to Robeks, and I wish I had not done so. My son then went to the bathroom, threw up and fell unconscious to the floor. Karens Husband Loses Job, Apologizes Following Arrest For Racist, Violent Tirade At Connecticut Smoothie Shop. The dad later said hed been out of my mind with fear after his son suffered a life-threatening anaphylactic shock from peanut butter being put in his drink, against his request. , Iannazzo was arrested on charges of intimidation based on bias, breach of peace and criminal trespass. My wife gave him another EpiPen while I called 911 again. "Our company does not tolerate behavior of this kind," said Merrill Lynch spokesman Bill Halldin. The video was first posted on TikTok by a 17-year-old employee, @cjjbreezy, and it has more than 15 million views. Public records show Iannazzo and his wife bought a $1.3 million home in the Southport section of Fairfield in 2021. James Iannazzo, 48, appeared in court Monday, where Judge Ndidi Moses ordered him to stay out of the Robeks smoothie shop and to refrain from contacting the victim. Let me guess; He'll release a non-apology apology where he tearfully declares this isn't who he is and is sorry if his conduct offended anyone. Iannazzo, who had worked for Merrill Lynch since 1995, was enraged that day after his nut-allergic son went into life-threatening anaphylactic shock after having a drink from the store, which led. According to Connecticut state law, a class D felony is punishable by up to 1 to 5 years in prison and a possible fine of up to $5,000. Iannazzo in a statement said, "My actions at Robek's were wrong, and I deeply regret them. My actions at Robeks were wrong, and I deeply regret them. Iannazzo was charged with one felony and two misdemeanors and was released pending his court appearance. Iannazzo said in a statement to WTNH, My actions at Robeks were wrong, and I deeply regret them. To actually experience it firsthand I just felt disrespected, she said. His son has a life-threatening peanut butter allergy., Riccio, a Bridgeport-based attorney, added, Upon drinking the Robeks smoothie, his son had a severe allergic reaction which required transport via ambulance to the hospital. NBC New York reportsJames Iannazzo, 48,was arrested on charges of intimidation based on bias, breach of peace and criminal trespass Saturday in Fairfield, CT, after his rant was captured on camera. He then returned to the smoothie shop and unleashed his fury on the workers, calling them immigrants and throwing a drink at one of the workers, which hit her in the head. He then threw a drink at an employee, which hit their right shoulder., Following the incident, Merrill Lynch, where Iannazzo was employeed as a financial advisor, announced he is no longer employed at our firm., Our company does not tolerate behavior of this kind, the company said in a statement to NBC New York on Sunday. The video shows Iannazzo at the counter of the Robeks drink store in Fairfield and yelling, I want to speak to the person who made this drink. The judge said that hate has no place in Connecticut or anywhere else, but pointed out that the state legislature does not exclude hate crimes from eligibility for accelerated rehab.The situation of having your child unable to breathe is sympathetic but his (Iannazzos) reaction to it is not, the judge said, but added that the defendant is not likely to offend again.. James Iannazzo is pictured as he menaces a group of minors working at Robeks smoothie shop in Fairfield, Connecticut. James Iannazzo, who was arrested after he got himself caught on a viral video launching into a violent and racist tirade directed at a group of teenage employees at Robeks smoothie shop in Fairfield, Connecticut, wads fired as a top-ranking Merrill Lynch broker after the incident. I feel terrible that I lost my composure so completely., Iannazzo continued, I was out of my mind with fear for him when I returned to Robeks, and I wish I had not done so. She was in the back, already called the police. She said she and another co-worker had to block the door because before I started recording he tried to get in multiple times., Hill added, For anybody who is saying they would have handled it differently, like throwing stuff at him, thats not going to make it better. Iannazzo was arrested Saturday after turning himself in, and charged with "intimidation based on bigotry or bias in the second degree, second-degree breach of peace, and first-degree criminal trespass. I want the f***** number. He then yells, Youre f***** immigrant loser, and appears to be heading toward the door to the area behind the counter, which the employees are standing in front of to block as they call police. They do not reflect my values or my character. I feel terrible that I lost my composure so completely., His attorney, Frank J. Riccio, also stressed the dad acted out of anger and fear after his parental instinct kicked in.. 2023 CNBC LLC. I also wish they had been more careful preparing my sons beverage. Hill, meanwhile, told WFSB that we are sorry on behalf of Robeks for how the smoothie was made.. I was out of my mind with fear for him when I returned to Robeks, and I wish I had not done so, Iannazzo said. | Source: Twitter. Smoothie Guy JAMES IANNAZZO assaults teenage employee (not my video), NOT MY VIDEO original tiktok in video NOT MY VIDEO ITS A SCREENRECORDING OF A VIRAL TIKTOK. About 34 minutes earlier, Mr. Iannazzo had made a purchase at Robeks, according to the police, who did not say whether the smoothie had caused the allergic reaction. Cardi B Wins Defamation Lawsuit Against Tasha K, Lifetime Releases My Killer Body With K. Michelle Extended Trailer, Master P Pulls Up On The Breakfast Club Pushing Product & Deflecting Beef, Natalie Nunn Defeats Tommie Lee In Hot Mess Pay-Per-View Boxing Match, Chloe Bailey Releases How Does It Feel Video Feat. Iannazzo was charged with intimidation based on bigotry or bias, breach of peace and criminal trespass, and is due in court Feb. 7. Gianna Miranda, 18, the employee who was called an immigrant loser, didn't hold back Monday in speaking to FOX61 about James Iannazzo, 48, of Fairfield. He threw up again. Why? Iannazzo also has long-standing ties to the community, which may aid him with his legal problems. About a. The couple previously lived elsewhere in Fairfield, according to property records. Iannazzo then calls her a f***** b****.. J ames Iannazzo, the " Karen's husband " who was arrested after he got himself caught on a viral video launching into a violent and racist tirade directed at a group of teenage employees at. The police said James Iannazzo, 48, yelled at Robeks workers and "made comments toward an employee referencing their immigration status." My son lost the capacity to breathe properly; his lips and face swelled up, and he required an EpiPen shot, but it did not offer him relief, Iannazzo toldWTNH. Jim also actively volunteers at community events and supports several non-profit organizations in the area., Iannazzo said on his company website, In March of 2019, Jim Iannazzo was recognized by Barrons as one of Americas Top 1,200 Advisors: State by State for the fifth year in a row. Brenda L. Kupchick, the chief elected official in Fairfield, said on Monday that she was grateful that the police took swift action and charged Mr. Iannazzo. Show more Show more Shop the Good Morning America store $26.95. The company and its franchisees have a zero-tolerance policy for this type of behavior, and we are thankful that the franchisees team members were not physically hurt, Ms. Caruso said on Monday. Some clients have concentrated stock and need to diversify their portfolio. I'd like to thank my wife and the first responders who I believe saved his life. This individual is no longer employed at our firm.. According to James Iannazzo, his 17-year-old son had a reaction to a smoothie that was made at Robeks because it had peanuts in it, and his son has a peanut allergy. His TikTok video of the incident has more than 3 million views. He claims he was under duress after seeing his 17-year-old son sent to the hospital for an allergic reaction due to a peanut allergy. A former Bank of America Corp. financial adviser who was ousted after a smoothie-shop tirade that was caught on video is now working at broker-dealer Aegis Capital Corp. Financial Industry Regulatory Authority data shows James Iannazzo registered with New York-based Aegis Capital as of March 15. Under the program, he will be placed on one year of probation. Retweet. The police confirmed that a 911 call was received at 1:39 p.m. on Saturday from Mr. Iannazzos home, where a young person was experiencing an allergic reaction. After he started to drink his smoothie, my son lost the capacity to breathe properly; his lips and face swelled up, and he required an EpiPen shot, but it did not offer him relief. He and his wife are proud parents of three young children and reside in Fairfield, CT. Get this delivered to your inbox, and more info about our products and services. Because who would ever think its ever gonna happen to me, but it did., Big oof, dude. How to Geta Free Flight to Hong Kong in 500,000 Airline Ticket Giveaway, Apple Suppliers Are Racing to Exit China, AirPods Maker Says, Microsoft Expands Game Pass as Regulators Fret Over Activision Deal, Cash Is Paying More Than Traditional Stock-Bond Portfolio, S&P 500 Wraps Up Turbulent Month Near Lows of Day: Markets Wrap. Others want to responsibly transfer wealth to their kids. Merrill Lynch fired Iannazzo on Sunday, after becoming aware of the TikTok video, which has garnered more than 2.6. million views after it was posted on Twitter. He traumatized four high school students and assaulted one of them. James Iannazzo, a Connecticut financial advisor, was arrested after a racist tirade at a smoothie shop, one for which his lawyer says he apologizes. The adviser, James Iannazzo, had been registered with Merrill Lynch in Stamford, Connecticut, since 1996 and had been a CFP certification holder since 2005; the CFP certification is one of the. We immediately investigated and have taken action. Sign up for free newsletters and get more CNBC delivered to your inbox. Thank God, he is doing okay., Iannazzo subsequently returned to the store, where he made comments to an employee referencing their immigration status, demanding that he speak to whoeverput peanut butter in his sonsdrink. As per the online records, James was born on 15th May 1973 spent his childhood in Norwalk. He started to call her racial slurs, and he threatened to kill us multiple times, Hill told the local station. ", "I was out of my mind with fear for him when I returned to Robek's, and I wish I had not done so. They do not reflect my values or my character. I feel terrible that I lost my composure so completely. My actions at Robeks were wrong, and I deeply regret them, he said. He is not a racist and deeply regrets his statement and actions during a moment of extreme emotional stress, Riccio said. Literally, it was like her second day, Hill said in the TikTok video. Iannazzo insisted that his actions do not reflect my values or my character. Iannazzo, 48, told police he was upset because his son having a severe allergic reaction and he went back to the store as a result, police said. All Rights Reserved. After his tirade was caught on video at a shop in Fairfield, Conn., James Iannazzo lost his job at Merrill Lynch. The employee reported that they had no complaints of pain or injury. I also wish they had been more careful preparing my son's beverage. We want you to value the dedication and diligence we provide at each step of the wealth management process., His website adds, A lifelong Connecticut resident, Jim graduated from the University of Connecticut with a Bachelors degree in Finance. Statement regarding James Iannazzo: pic.twitter.com/VvOKkD96FM, Frank J. Riccio II (@RiccioLaw) January 23, 2022. We immediately investigated and have taken action. Police said Iannazzo left Robeks before officers arrived, but he later turned himself in without incident after he was identified during an investigation. My wife gave him another EpiPen while I called 911 again. Iannazzo is originally from Norwalk, Connecticut, and graduated from Norwalk High School in 1991. J ames Iannazzo, the " Karen's husband " who was arrested after he got himself caught on a viral video launching into a violent and racist tirade directed at a group of teenage employees at Robeks smoothie shop in Fairfield, Connecticut, has lost his job as a top-ranking Merrill Lynch broker all because Karens and their Ken-tlemen counterparts Meanwhile, the irony of him having an Italian last name while calling someone an immigrant LMMFO. I feel terrible that I lost my composure so completely. 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