Royal Financial institution of Canada stated it has evidence that its former leader monetary officer engaged in an intimate dating with a colleague that she did not expose, mentioning exchanges between the 2 over textual content messages and emails.
Canada’s greatest lender filed a remark of protection and counterclaim on Friday within the wrongful dismissal lawsuit filed previous this month by way of Nadine Ahn, the chief it fired in April after 25 years on the financial institution.
The criminal submitting stated Ahn started an in depth private dating with a colleague, Ken Mason — an govt within the financial institution’s company treasury workforce — as early as 2013 and that it endured till the time of her departure.
The file gives a remarkably detailed take a look at how the financial institution alleges the connection performed out over greater than a decade. It comprises descriptions of the way the 2 bankers continuously met outdoor paintings for cocktails, celebrated anniversaries, swapped romantic poetry, and referred to as every different by way of puppy names — “Prickly Pear” for Ahn and “KD” for Mason.
Their textual content messages “fantasized a few lifestyles in combination, reminiscent of studying in mattress in combination,” RBC’s courtroom submitting states.
“Ms. Ahn forwarded romantic poetry to Mr. Mason, expressing that she had fallen in love with Mr. Mason when she first noticed him,” in keeping with the submitting. “Ms. Ahn and Mr. Mason endured to frequently see every different outdoor of the place of business throughout this period of time, arranging a lunch on August 18, 2017 to rejoice their ‘fourth anniversary.’”
The shut dating endured after she was once promoted to CFO in 2021, in keeping with the paperwork. RBC alleges that Ahn used her place throughout the corporate to orchestrate promotions and pay raises for Mason, an enterprise it says Mason known as “Challenge Ken” in a file he drew up. She additionally shared confidential data with Mason, the financial institution claims, reminiscent of a draft of a speech to be given by way of Leader Govt Officer Dave McKay.
Learn Extra: RBC’s Ex-CFO Says She Had Shot at CEO Task Sooner than Financial institution Fired Her
The submitting states that RBC doesn’t have get entry to to their messages, “excluding to the level that Ms. Ahn and Mr. Mason copied private communications to RBC programs.”
Legal professionals for Mason and Ahn didn’t respond to messages in the hunt for remark. Ahn stated in her lawsuit that she and Mason have been buddies however denied that they have been romantic companions. Mason, who filed a separate wrongful dismissal lawsuit towards RBC, additionally denied a romantic dating and stated the financial institution would have handled them another way if that they had each been males.
‘I Love You Too’
The financial institution cites “intimate communications” exchanged between the 2 by way of textual content message. As one instance, it states, “On March 11, 2019, Ms. Ahn messaged Mr. Mason to mention, ‘I really like you.’ Mr. Mason answered 15 seconds later, ‘I really like you too.’”
The 2 allegedly used calendar invitations to agenda “liquidity conferences,” which the financial institution stated was once code for going for cocktails. At one such assembly, the 2 scribbled notes about their drink orders and different subjects reminiscent of “live performance, night time out, vineyard” on a coaster from Canoe, an upscale eating place in Toronto’s monetary district. Mason had the coaster encased in plexiglass and stored it in his place of business, RBC claims.
The financial institution stated it all started investigating in March after an nameless whistleblower alleged that Ahn and Mason have been noticed “hugging and kissing and exiting the elevators” on the Fairmont Royal York, a lodge that’s proper beside RBC’s head place of business.
Financial institution officers “in an instant commenced an intensive investigation performed by way of exterior criminal suggest,” RBC spokesperson Gillian McArdle stated in an emailed remark on Friday. “We have been dissatisfied to be informed the allegations have been true.”
The Globe and Mail newspaper previous reported on RBC’s courtroom submitting.
Ahn’s lawsuit complained about the best way Royal Financial institution treated the investigation, the velocity with which she was once fired after being faced with the allegations on April 5, and the wear to her popularity when the financial institution put out a press unencumber that very same day.
“Opposite to the statements of declare from Ms. Ahn and Mr. Mason, the investigation confirmed there was once an undisclosed shut private dating, and that Ms. Ahn misused her authority as CFO to at once get advantages Mr. Mason,” McArdle stated. “As she was once a Named Govt Officer, we had a duty to expose.”
Ahn’s lawsuit is looking for virtually C$50 million ($37 million) in pay and damages whilst Mason is suing Royal Financial institution for greater than C$20 million in pay and damages.
In its counterclaim towards Ahn, RBC is looking for about C$4.5 million for “extra repayment” paid to Mason and to claw again bonuses paid to Ahn, plus different damages and prices.
RBC’s submitting states that after some other worker raised considerations about Mason’s pay, Ahn terminated that individual’s employment with out reason. The financial institution stated that former worker “has demanded repayment from RBC for dangerous religion termination of his employment, on account of Ms. Ahn’s habits.” Advisable Publication: CEO Day by day supplies key context for the scoop leaders wish to know from internationally of commercial. Each and every weekday morning, greater than 125,000 readers consider CEO Day by day for insights about–and from inside of–the C-suite. Subscribe Now.
