Electrician Fired From Ford For 'Stealing' $1.95 Cookie Now Wants To Sue

A longtime Ford plant worker fired after being wrongfully accused of stealing now sounds like he wants to sue. Earlier this month, we reported on the case of Kurt Kromm, a diabetic electrician who was let go from Ford's Kentucky Truck Plant after the company wrongfully accused him of stealing a $1.95 chocolate chip cookie from the canteen. That story ended with Ford confirming that the cookie was actually paid for and offering Kromm's job back, but only after Kromm had already found a new, better paying job. Now, though, Kromm has lawyered up, specifically with counsel that specializes in defamation claims.

From Shifting Gears' Phoebe Wall Howard, who broke the original story, Kromm's attorney wrote, "The accusations of theft made against [Kromm] were absolutely false. The proof of his innocence was available to or in the possession of both Aramark and Ford from the very start. Mr. Kromm paid, but he was nevertheless labeled a thief and removed from the plant he devoted 11 years of his career to. The way Aramark and Ford handled this situation was unacceptable, and the facts of this case give rise to substantial legal claims that Mr. Kromm intends to pursue to the fullest extent of the law."

When Jalopnik reached out to Ford for comment about the original incident, spokesperson Jessica Enoch gave us the same statement it gave numerous other outlets: "We don't talk about individual cases, but there are times when we look into things and realize it could have been handled differently. When that happens, we try to rectify it. We value our employees and want to be as fair as possible."

When Shifting Gears probed about the now-potential legal action, Enoch replied, "We don't comment on the specifics of pending litigation. We are working to review the limited instances where Aramark kiosk issues have been raised."

Yep, "instances," plural. Shockingly (or not), people being fired over false snack theft allegations then being brought back after innocence was proven is apparently A Thing in Ford assembly plants, and it all seems to stem from Aramark self-service kiosks that have a reputation for glitches.

According to Automotive News, three (!) employees at the automaker's Michigan Assembly Plant were previously dismissed for "similar allegations" but then reinstated after their names were cleared — or, at the very least, after Ford was able to confirm that the workers actually paid for its precious treats.

One Michigan worker, Nick Nabozny, is now out of work after being accused of stealing Doritos and Ritz crackers. Union officials reportedly told him that grievance review could take up to two years. The phenomenon has grown to the point where people are said to be "afraid" to use the Aramark kiosks now.

"Workers say these kiosks have been failing for years, and nothing was done about it," Kromm's attorney told SG. "Mr. Kromm happened to have the records to prove he paid. Most people don't."

What will happen to guys like Kromm and Nabozny is in the hands of their lawyers and union officials, but free advice to any Ford plant workers still on the line: Bring your own damn Doritos just to be safe.