No free lunch: the parable of the banker and the extra sandwich

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A banker was recently sacked by his employers CitiBank for an expenses claim he submitted for two sandwiches whilst on a work trip. Szabolcs Fekete, who had worked for Citibank for 7 years as an analyst specialising in financial crime, had claimed that he had eaten both sandwiches.

But actually, one of them had been eaten by his wife.

The problem was not the cost. Citibank offer their staff a generous €100 daily allowance for food when away on work trips and the claim did not come anywhere near this limit. But their rules state that employees on work trips are not allowed to claim expenses for spouse’s travel or food.

Trust

After he was sacked, Fekete took Citibank to court claiming unfair dismissal. But he lost his case. The judge said:

“I have found that this case is not about the sums of money involved…The claimant was employed in a position of trust in a global financial institution…I accept that the respondent requires a commitment to honesty from its employees.”

We are used to banking scandals which relate to millions and billions of pounds. Over the last 20 years, the corporate behaviour of banks has been at the heart of global financial convulsions. The risky practices of private financial institutions have directly led to government implementing public policies of austerity. The greedy gambles of the rich have deepened the deprivation of the poor.

And curbing excessive risk taking was a key reason why a cap on banker’s bonuses was introduced in response to the financial crash of 2008. This week it was announced that this cap is to be scrapped.

Relatable

On a corporate level, fault and responsibility are more easily obscured than they are on an individual level. There is huge complexity to international financial systems that are not easily resolved.

This is why the sacking of a well-paid banker for claiming an extra sandwich is an eye-catching story. It is simple and relatable. The amount was negligible but the principle is universal. It’s a parable about the danger of deceit.

Multiplied deceit

Fekete lied in order to gain the small advantage of a free lunch for his wife. But he then needed to tell further lies to defend his original claim. This multiplied the deceit and dug a deeper pit for himself which ended up costing him his job.

As with the Downing Street ‘Partygate’, or countless other scandals, the cover-up often becomes more serious than the crime itself.  It was Boris Johnson’s deceit and the lack of trust others had in him which caused his downfall as Prime Minister.

Often people caught up in such scandals express regret in not ‘coming clean’ earlier.  They realise too late that its far better to own up at an early stage. 

Self-justifications

But this course of action is dependent on being truthful. It means not minimising your own culpability, giving up on self-justifications or a desire to blame others.  And time again, we see people’s pride and dependence on their own self-righteousness blocking their ability to be honest and truly face reality.

And this reluctance to face truth is what blocks the way to grace, restoration and forgiveness. As the Hebrew prophet Jonah put it when faced with many hours to reflect alone on his own failures (2:8):

‘Those who cling to worthless idols forfeit the grace that could be theirs.’

Forgiveness

We all mess up and make errors of judgement which affect our relationships in workplaces, and with families or friends. I have made plenty.

Often, forgiveness is available from those around us. People are often willing to show grace, especially if they feel the other person is being truthful and honest about the mistakes made. If we are willing to surrender rather than defend, it often opens up the possibility of reconciliation and forgiveness. 

Divine grace

The same is all the more true with God. Divine grace is always available, no matter what we have done wrong. But we must be honest before God and give up our self-justifications. 

Grace is the ultimate truth. But truth is always the gateway to authentic grace.

Szabolcs Fekete’s sandwich claim is a parable for all of us about the danger of deceit. Let’s hope Citibank are also focused on the more costly forms of corporate injustice and greed as they are about one dodgy expenses claim.