A Merrill Lynch wealth management adviser was fired from his job after his violent behavior in a Fairfield smoothie shop became a viral video that led to his arrest.
On Saturday, James Iannazzo ordered a smoothie for his son from the Robeks outlet at 2061 Black Rock Tpke. Iannozzo”™s son has a peanut allergy and he asked that the drink not include peanut butter. However, a peanut residue went into the drink and Iannazzo”™s son required hospitalization.
Iannazzo returned to the Robeks later in the day demanding to know which employee made the drink. When the shop”™s staff told him he should call the franchise”™s corporate office to complain, Iannazzo erupted and began yelling obscenities at the employees. Iannazzo threw a drink at an employee, hitting her shoulder but not causing injuries, and then called another employee a
“f***ing immigrant loser” before trying to gain entry into an employees-only area of the location. The employees called the police but Iannazzo left before they arrived.
The video of Iannazzo”™s outburst was shared on social media and generated thousands of views. Iannazzo later surrendered himself to the Fairfield Police and has been charged with intimidation based on bigotry or bias in the second degree, breach of peace in the second degree and criminal trespass in the first degree. He was issued a court appearance date of Feb. 7 at Bridgeport Superior Court.
Newsweek reported that Iannazzo, who worked for Merrill Lynch for 26 years and was named by Forbes as one of the 25 best in-state wealth advisors for 2021, was terminated from his job.
“Our company does not tolerate behavior of this kind,” the company said in a statement. “We immediately investigated and have taken action. This individual is no longer employed at our firm.”
Iannazzo’s attorney, Frank J. Riccio, issued a statement that said Iannazzo “stressed to the staff” at Robeks not to include peanuts in the drink and “acted out of anger and fear” after his son became ill and required hospitalization.
“He is not a racist and deeply regrets his statement and actions during a moment of extreme emotion,” Riccio said.
Photo of James Iannazzo courtesy of the Fairfield Police Department.
I believe Merrill Lynch is wrong in this matter. This mans’ son could be DEAD. What’s more important, a child’s life or the feelings of an individual.
SEYMOUR CASH I AM THE FATHER OF THREE CHILDREN AND THE GRANDFATHER OF ONE CHILD.
I BELEIVE I WOULD HAVE DONE THJE SAME IF THIS HAPPENED TO ME. I DONT BLAME THIS MAN WHATSOEVER. IN HIS DEFENSE I WILL NEVER DO BUSINESS WITH MERRILL LYNCH. IF
I WAS HIM I WOULD SUE THE SMOOTHIES OUT OF ROBEKS. AS
SOMEONE WHO IS ALLERGIC TO PENECILLIN, I KNOW THE SERIOUSNESS OF THIS SITUATION.
Smoothies quite often use peanut butter. Even if there was no peanut butter in the drink, parents with kids allergic to peanuts should not buy drinks for their kids made with equipment that might have been used to produce a drink containing peanut butter!
I don’t think people understand how foolish James acted when he ordered from a smoothie shop that sells peanut based smoothies to his son. Across lower Fairfield County many schools have banned peanuts and nuts outright. Students are unable to bring their own PB&J sandwiches from because of the severity of the classmates allergic reaction. With food allergies one who is allergic only needs to come in contact with remaining residue or oil to have a severe life threatening reaction.
Disclaimers and warnings written on commercial food products warn about products packaged in a facility that also handles nuts or possible cross-contamination because cross-contamination is ALWAYS possibility. Factory tours of commercial facilities show the lengths and rules companies go through to disinfect and clean their machines and yet they are unable to promise that ANY of their products could have come into contact with nuts.
What I’m trying to say is that with a nut allergy the food service would have to attempt a deep clean of a section to ensure no cross-contamination would occur.
James a father of a son with nuts allergy is aware all of these issues and yet he:
1. Purchased a smoothie from a facility that handles nuts (knowing that peanuts do not have to be added to a drink to set off food allergy)
2. Requested a smoothie that CONTAINED peanut butter and only asked them to omit it while never explicitly stating that it was an allergy
Seymour,
The first thing one of that is asked in a medical setting is “Are you allergic to any medications?”
The second thing is your allergies are listed on the outside or 1st page of your chart and in hospitals is a pop-up highlighted message of possible allergic reactions. If someone administers to you Penicillin while neglecting to ask the question above or look at your medical chart then that is gross medical negligence. That is not comparable to the situation in the above article.
James Iannazzo walked into a smoothie shop that handled peanuts. Then requested that peanuts be omitted from the drink that originally contained peanuts. James Iannazzo never disclosed that the intended recipient had an allergy to peanuts. It was a series of choices that landed James’ son in the hospital. James is a bully and a coward he knew he made a mistake but decided to lay blame at the feet of these young teenage girls. To go even further and attack one of the young girls while her back is turned. That man is a coward! When there are losses in portfolio he manages I bet you he acts the same way.
James should also know that severity of allergic reactions tend to INCREASE the more your exposed to said allergen.