A MERRILL Lynch banker was arrested and fired after he appeared to hurl a racist tirade and launch a drink at a worker in a smoothie store.
James Iannazzo, 48, ordered the drink from a Robeks store in Connecticut on Saturday for his son who suffers from a peanut allergy.
Cops in Fairfield County said the financial advisor ordered the smoothie without peanut butter but apparently failed to mention his son’s allergy to staff.
Iannazzo’s son was taken to hospital after suffering an allergic reaction before the dad returned to the store.
The 48-year-old wanted to find out who had made the drink but the store's employees were unsure before he demanded to speak to the manager.
TikTok footage, which was watched more than 16million times before being removed, captured the moment the furious dad hurled the tirade at store employees, Blaze reports.
An employee tells the dad to leave the store, before he responded: “Shut the f**k up. Stupid f****ing idiot. You’re a f***ing idiot. I want the f***ing number. Shut up."
Video then appears to show him launching a drink that hit an employee’s right shoulder.
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Iannazzo allegedly said to one of the workers: “You’re a f****ing immigrant loser.”
He left the store before cops arrived on the scene before later turning himself in on Saturday.
Iannazzo was arrested on charges of intimidation based on bias, breach of peace, and criminal trespass.
He was also fired from his role at Merrill Lynch where he had worked since 1995.
The firm said: "Our company does not tolerate behavior of this kind. We immediately investigated and have taken action. This individual is no longer employed at our firm."
Iannazzo was ranked the 24th best wealth advisor in Connecticut by Forbes, according to Blaze.
Lawyer Frank J Riccio said that Iannazzo was “not racist", adding that he "deeply regrets his statement and actions during a moment of extreme emotion”.
The attorney said: “Mr. Iannazzo’s parental instinct kicked in and he acted out of anger and fear."
In a statement to Newsweek, Robeks spokesperson Barbara Caruso said: “At Robeks, our priority is to protect both store team members and guests.
“The company and its franchisees have a zero-tolerance policy for this type of behavior, and we are thankful that the franchisee’s team members were not physically hurt.”
Iannazzo is due to appear in court on February 7.If convicted, he could face up to six years in jail and a $6,000 fine.
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