White Bank of America exec claims he faced discrimination, was forced to resign while caring for ailing mom: lawsuit

A white former Bank of America executive claims his bosses threatened to destroy his career and forced him out for relocating to care for his ailing mother — while a younger black colleague was allowed to move to attend to a dependent’s needs without facing discipline, according to a bombshell lawsuit.Robert Zullo, 55, a former BofA senior vice president, alleges that his superior, AJ Venit, warned him he “would never work in the banking industry again” during an August 2025 confrontation over Zullo relocating from Charlotte, NC, to Albany, NY, to care for his parent.Venit also allegedly warned Zullo that he would be “gone in 30 days, we just have to follow the paperwork process,” according to the 23-page complaint filed Friday in federal court in Charlotte, NC.The banking giant rejected the allegations.“We provide flexibility and leave accommodations for all employees, however, Mr.Zullo repeatedly failed to comply with company policy, and we strongly disagree with this account,” a Bank of America spokesperson told The Post.“We look forward to presenting the facts through the appropriate legal channels.”Zullo, who worked in the bank’s compliance and operational risk division, alleges in the lawsuit that he faced discrimination because of his race and age while younger colleagues — including a black employee who was later promoted — were allowed more flexible work arrangements without discipline.Zullo alleges that his bosses had a financial incentive to favor black employees because portions of their annual bonuses were tied to diversity targets — and that the black employee counted toward those goals while he did not.That employee was allegedly allowed to relocate permanently from Charlotte to New Jersey because of a dependent’s needs, bypassing the bank’s formal flexible-work approval process, according to the complaint.Venit and Zullo’s direct supervisor, Karen Cheney, approved the move, according to the complaint.The black emplo...