It’s now 2026 and with the new year comes new misconduct scandals breaking news. This month, #9to5Nightmares hosts Amy Warren and Micole Garatti focus on several high profile social media scandals around the world.

Today’s tech-savvy digital world means new types of misconduct can go viral and scale quickly. January’s episode starts by unpacking a new viral trend in which people are using X’s AI Grok to generate non-consensual sexually explicit photos of women and children, creating widespread concerns over online privacy, human rights, and workplace misconduct concerns.

The episode continues exploring additional scandals including a celebrity doctor being under review by medical boards over social media misconduct, a barista going viral for serving a customer a drink she made with her bare hands, and findings from a recent Fama report in Financial Services.

These cases emphasized the importance of robust policies and protocols to prevent workplace harassment and misconduct, while highlighting the need for organizations to review and update their codes of conduct and harassment policies.

Conclusion

In today’s hyper-connected, digital world, the lines between personal online behavior and professional life continue to blur, making organizations vulnerable to a new wave of misconduct that can go viral and cause swift, severe damage to reputation and public trust.

From the weaponization of AI to generate non-consensual images, to blatant food safety violations, and the re-emergence of hateful rhetoric online, these cases underscore a critical need for organizations to proactively safeguard their workplaces and brand. It is no longer enough to react; companies must update their policies and implement robust due diligence strategies, like Fama’s social media screening solution, to consistently identify and mitigate employee and candidate risks before they become a nightmare scenario.

For a deep dive into these scandals and practical steps your organization can take, listen to #9to5Nightmares Ep 21: Grok AI Generating Fake Nudes, Racists Posts, & Viral Food Safety Violations below or on Spotify.

If you want to understand how organizations are identifying online behavioral risk earlier and protecting employees, customers, and their reputation, explore Fama’s solutions while you listen.

The holiday season often brings increased visibility into employee behavior and with it, increased risk. In this episode of #9to5Nightmares, hosts Amy Warren and Micole Garatti reflect on more than a year of tracking real-world misconduct stories and examine why these incidents are becoming more frequent, more public, and more consequential for employers.

This month’s discussion spans several high-profile cases: a customer-facing employee fired after a racist outburst went viral, a delivery driver facing criminal charges for food tampering, and a senior Air Force official resigning after violent and hateful social media posts surfaced. The episode also highlights a real executive screening case involving misuse of confidential company data underscoring that misconduct risk extends well beyond harassment and into ethics, trust, and insider threats.

As personal and professional lives increasingly overlap online, employers are facing a new reality: behavior that happens outside the workplace can directly impact safety, brand reputation, and profitability.

Amy and Micole discuss why the volume of these incidents is rising, how digital-native workforces are changing risk patterns, and why proactive, consistent screening matters across the entire employee lifecycle.

For organizations focused on building safe, compliant, and trustworthy workplaces, this episode offers timely insight into how misconduct shows up and how it can be identified as it emerges but before it becomes a costly problem.

Let’s get into this week’s #9to5Nightmares.

It’s that time of year. The leaves are falling. The wind is breezing. The apple orchards are blooming. And everywhere, people are bracing themselves for the one thing scarier than deep-frying a turkey: Thanksgiving with that uncle.

Every family has one. The boundary-pusher. The over-sharer. The inappropriate commenter. But in the workplace, these “creepy uncles” aren’t just uncomfortable, they’re dangerous.

In today’s social-media-happy world, it’s worth asking: If your creepy uncle’s behavior was posted online tomorrow, would it concern their employer?

Digital natives blur the lines between what’s “personal” and what’s “professional,” because the internet is forever and much of what people share is public. And every year, stories of misconduct, from threatening Tweets to scandalously viral TikToks, show up online for millions to witness. With Thanksgiving around the corner, today’s episode digs into real examples of people in positions of power crossing lines, abusing trust, and leaving digital evidence behind.

Let’s get into this week’s #9to5Nightmares.

DoorDash driver charged after recording, posting video of nude customer, police say

A DoorDash driver in New York was fired and charged after allegedly filming a naked customer inside his home and posting the footage on social media. DoorDash removed the driver for violating privacy rules. Prosecutors filed felony charges for unlawful surveillance and distribution of illicit recordings. A classic case of misusing access, violating trust, and treating a delivery job like a backstage pass into someone’s personal life. (CNYCentral)

Texas mom screams in pain minutes before delivering baby as hospital allegedly delays care, asks her intake questions

A viral TikTok video shows a Texas nurse delaying care of a patient in active labor, resulting in a traumatic birth and widespread outrage against the hospital. The video, recorded by the patient’s mother, captures the patient doubled over in pain while staff reportedly completed admission paperwork. According to the text overlay, the patient had already waited more than 30 minutes in the waiting room. She delivered her baby 12 minutes after completing hospital paperwork, and there appeared to be stress-related complications from the lack of timely care.

Within days of the video being shared online, more than 23 million people had viewed it. The hospital released a statement confirming it is “reviewing this situation to understand what occurred.”

For organizations, the takeaway is clear: What happens in a triage-wheelchair scenario isn’t just a clinical incident. It becomes a full-blown public scandal with potential legal and reputational consequences. (People)

IRC Deputy arrested, fired after stalking woman he met on social media

A veteran Indian River County sheriff’s deputy was fired and arrested after allegedly using his badge, agency database, and law enforcement equipment to stalk a woman he met online. Investigators say he illegally accessed protected records, created fake profiles to contact her, repeatedly drove by her home in a patrol vehicle, and sent her 23 sexually explicit photos and videos of himself, many taken while on duty and in uniform.

Officials suspect additional victims. The charges include stalking and offenses against computer users, a powerful reminder of how quickly misconduct and abuses of power can escalate over time. (Vero News)

Fama Findings: Allegations Against University Executive

In a recent screening, Fama found a sen

We talk about misconduct so you can avoid it!

As digital natives become the majority of today’s workforce, online behavior is shaping more hiring and HR decisions than ever before. The way people communicate, share, and express themselves online now directly impacts how organizations hire, manage, and safeguard their culture.

New research shows nearly all recruiters (96%) would reject a candidate based on their online content. Misconduct isn’t limited by age, role, or industry. From Gen Z candidates losing job offers over inappropriate posts to tenured professionals facing termination for harmful online conduct, what people share online can quickly become a business risk.

In Episode 18 of 9 to 5 Nightmares, hosts Amy Warren and Micole Garatti unpack three real-world misconduct cases making headlines this month:

#1. Healthcare Employees Fired Over Photos of Sedated Patients

At Jay Hospital in Florida, staff were fired after allegedly taking and posting photos of sleeping, medicated patients. The hospital launched an internal investigation and notified affected patients and authorities, but fallout continued as multiple patients claimed they were offered payments to sign non-disclosure agreements. The patients have contacted attorneys to pursue potential legal action. (Pensacola News Journal)

Employer takeaway: Trust and privacy are the foundation of care. What happens online can quickly escalate into legal exposure and lasting brand damage.

#2. Police Officer Placed on Leave for Immigration-Related Post

A suburban police officer was suspended after social media activity violated department conduct standards. The department’s chief emphasized swift accountability and the importance of professionalism. Reports also revealed the officer had been previously terminated for similar misconduct and later rehired after union intervention. The Police Chief hopes her quick action reassures the community that the department’s responsibility is “to serve and protect everyone’s rights, to ensure a safe community, and remain committed to the highest standards of professionalism." (NBC Chicago)

Employer takeaway: Rehiring individuals with a pattern of online misconduct without addressing root causes can expose organizations to renewed reputational and safety risks.

#3. Former Fiserv Employee Arrested After Online Threats of Violence

A former Fiserv employee was arrested after allegedly posting violent threats toward coworkers on Threads and purchasing a firearm. Threats included comments like: “There is absolutely no calming me down,” “I want everyone around me to die immediately,” “Every delay will ensure I drive faster and get that gun,” and “Every single person who follow or shows up will die a horrible death.” The company’s security team identified the threats and alerted authorities before harm occurred. (Coral Springs Talk)

Employer takeaway: Early detection, ongoing online screening, and rapid response saves lives. Regular social media screening is now a critical component of workplace safety.

We talk about misconduct so you can avoid it.

In episode 17 of the #9to5Nightmares Podcast, hosts Amy Warren and Micole Garatti break down the most recent scandals impacting workplaces around the country. From online reactions to the Charlie Kirk assassination to healthcare staffers posting a video of patient rooms after appointments in humiliating and violating ways, this month was certainly not short of social media misconduct impacting the workplace.

Watch the episode to hear about:

Case 1: TikTok Video Shows Santa Barbara Clinic Staff Mocking Patients

A TikTok video from healthcare facility, Sansum Clinic, in Santa Barbara showed eight staff members making fun of bodily fluids on exam tables, using captions like "Guess the substance!" and "Are patients allowed to leave you guys gifts?" The video, which a former employee posted, received strong public backlash.

The video was a significant problem because it showed healthcare workers mocking patients and their bodily fluids, which is disrespectful and a major violation of patient privacy and dignity. The public outrage stemmed from the fact that medical professionals, who are expected to treat patients with compassion and respect, were instead seen engaging in shaming behavior. The incident raised questions about the clinic's culture with people online asking “what is the culture of your clinic because why did this many employees feel comfortable participating in this?”

The clinic's owner released a statement renouncing the staff’s action and that the employees involved were terminated within 48 hours. The original poster was not an employee when the video went up, but others who appeared in it were fired. (LA Times)

Case 2: FDNY Assistant Commissioner Dismissed After Controversial Training Video Surfaces

A video went viral showing minority students in an FDNY training program being forced to move cotton balls with their hands tied behind their backs. The footage, filmed at the department's Youth Leadership Academy, was originally described as a team-building exercise. The video led to immediate public outrage. In response, the FDNY fired a longtime assistant commissioner and the training instructor who led the exercise. The New York City Schools Chancellor, Melissa Aviles-Ramos, condemned the incident, stating that such behavior was "insensitive" and not aligned with their values.

This scandal was a failure on the department in numerous ways, the crux of which was the training exercise itself. Forcing minority students to transport cotton with their hands tied behind their backs evoked painful and offensive historical imagery related to slavery and the treatment of Black people in America. Cotton is a symbol of slavery, and the exercise was at the very least deeply insensitive, disrespectful, and created a hostile environment, which is unacceptable in any professional training program.

The fact that the exercise, which was completed by minors as part of a school program, was recorded added to the egregious act. It wasn't just a one-off, private incident; it was an officially sanctioned and documented part of an FDNY program that was recorded and used as part of future training. This suggested that the department, at some level, approved of or was at least unaware of the exercise. The fact that the behavior was normalized and accepted within the department calls into question the department's oversight and judgement.

The decision to post the video on social media was the final catalyst for the widespread backlash. This action made the offensive and violating act

We talk about misconduct so you can avoid it.

Today’s workforce looks different than ever before. With digital natives now making up the majority, workplace risk isn’t showing up quietly. It Tweets. It posts. It spirals into headlines. That’s why companies are rethinking outdated risk mitigation efforts and adopting social media screening across the entire employee lifecycle, from pre-hire to offboarding.

In Episode 16 of #9to5Nightmares, Amy Warren and Micole Garatti unpack three real-life misconduct cases that are as wild as they are eye-opening:

Case 1: Former officer sentenced to probation after allegedly wearing police uniform in OnlyFans video

A former Metro Nashville police officer was sentenced to probation after being accused of filming an explicit OnlyFans-style video while on duty and in uniform. The “mock traffic stop” video, where a woman exposed herself during the encounter, landed the officer with a felony misconduct charge and the end of his law enforcement career. The video was recorded on company time and in his police uniform, violating several department rules and laws. (WDTV)

Case 2: A stranger told me I was sending my kids to ‘Nazi camp’ — this shows how mainstream anti-Jew hate has become

In a disturbing display of online harassment, a Fidelity employee went on a social media rampage targeting parents and children after a Summer Camp incident that accidentally traumatized Jewish campers and parents. Messages included “F*** you and f*** your kid who goes to Nazi summer camp!” — language that quickly went viral and resulted in termination. Fidelity later made a public statement denouncing the comments, but the damage was already done. (NY Post)

Case 3: Executive Inflates Revenue by Billions

During a Fama social media screening, we surfaced online content showing a senior executive was implicated in inflating company revenue by billions of dollars. Investigators allege falsified financial statements were used to meet aggressive revenue goals. At this level, misconduct doesn’t just harm culture, it threatens investor confidence, stock performance, and long-term stability.

Why This Matters

From viral videos to hate speech to financial manipulation, misconduct can take many forms. But the throughline is the same: it rarely starts with a formal HR complaint. It starts online, often in public view, long before the company is prepared to respond.

That’s why modern employers are moving past one-time background checks and embracing ongoing, ethical screening solutions that catch warning signs before they become tomorrow’s headlines.

We talk about misconduct so you can avoid it!

In this episode of #9to5Nightmares, your hosts Amy Warren and Micole Garatti break down the latest batch of workplace scandals that blew up online—and what they reveal about modern misconduct, leadership failures, and the reputational landmines hiding in plain sight.

From a pediatrician’s shocking post about Texas flood victims, to a Love Island contestant’s racist remarks, to a CEO caught in an HR nightmare on the Coldplay kiss cam (yes, really)—this week’s stories span healthcare, reality TV, tech, and HR itself.

Each case is a brutal reminder: in 2025, the line between personal and professional behavior is thinner than ever—and misconduct travels fast. Whether you're in HR, compliance, or just trying to stay out of trouble, these stories show why it’s mission-critical to spot red flags before they go viral.

Scandals include:

1. Pediatrician fired for vile post suggesting Texas flood victims were Trump supporters who got ‘what they voted for’

Dr. Christina Propst was terminated after a Facebook post implied that victims of the Texas floods—more than 80 individuals, including children—were Trump supporters who ‘got what they voted for.’ The since‑deleted post under her former account drew widespread condemnation and highlighted how a single comment can overshadow decades of professional service. (New York Post)

2. Love Island USA's Cierra leaves show after racism row

Love Island USA star Cierra Ortega faced backlash from fans over resurfaced social media posts that used a derogatory term against the Asian community. In an Instagram story from 2023, Ortega used the slur as she explained her Botox procedures, writing, “I can also be a little chinky when I laugh/smile so I love getting a mini brow lift to open up my eyes and get that snatched look.”

Ortega is the second person to be cut from the show this season for racism uncovered by fans. The first was Yulissa Escobar, in which her video from a podcast resurfaced where she used the N-word while discussing boy drama with the hosts. (BBC)

3. US tech company Astronomer's CEO resigns after being caught having an affair with CPO at Coldplay concert

At a Coldplay concert, Astronomer CEO Andy Byron and his Chief People Officer Kristin Cabot were caught on the venue’s ‘kiss cam.’ Their awkward reaction—ducking and covering their faces—sparked speculation of an undisclosed workplace relationship. The video footage went viral on social media, turning into one of the most popular memes of the weekend. Following the scandal, Astronomer said on Friday via a LinkedIn statement that its Board of Directors has initiated a formal investigation. Soon after, Astronomer issued another LinkedIn statement, announcing that Byron had tendered his resignation, and that the Board of Directors had accepted this decision. (Human Resource Online)

4. Fama findings: Uncovered harassment by a Chief People Officer

Outside the headlines,

We talk about misconduct so you can avoid it!

Hiring in 2025 comes with a new reality: every post, livestream, or DM can surface at work the very next day. In Episode 14 of the #9to5Nightmares podcast, Amy Warren and Micole Garatti dig into three headline-grabbing cases that prove online misconduct doesn’t just hurt an individual’s reputation, it can torpedo an employer’s brand, bottom line, and legal standing.

The Internet Is Forever (and So Are the Receipts)

Digital natives grew up oversharing online, and now they make up most of the workforce. When employees carry that same unfiltered behavior into their jobs – or publicly online in ways that impact their employers – the fallout can be instant and expensive.

Forward-thinking organizations are treating online behavior as a quality-of-hire metric. Social media background checks let you spot red flags—harassment, hate speech, fraud—before they land on tomorrow’s front page.

On #9to5Nightmares Podcast Episode 14: Online Misconduct, we discuss 3 examples of workplace misconduct that could have been prevented with social media background checks.

3 Examples of Online Misconduct

1. When Social Media Crosses the Line: A Wake-Up Call for Nursing Professionalism

A new nurse was fired from her job after live streaming herself during her shift at a nursing home. In the stream, viewers watched her administer medications, talk to and about patients, and make a medication error—while she read and responded to live comments on social media. The video went viral, showing the world the nurse’s unprofessional conduct, potential HIPAA violations, and improper clinical technique throughout the day. (1Nurse)

2. Police officer resigns in disgrace after harassing coworkers both in office and online

A male police officer repeatedly harassed female colleagues, making "highly offensive" and "vulgar" comments in person as well as initiating unwanted contact through social media. After complaints by the coworkers, the Police Constable said in a statement, [the officer’s] "actions were highly unprofessional and undoubtedly made his female colleagues feel deeply uncomfortable and such behaviour will not be tolerated." The officer resigned during the course of the investigation, which would have resulted in his termination. (BBC)

3. Fama story – Candidate indicted for bribery!

Fama screened an executive candidate who was indicted in not one but two countries for bribing government officials in hopes of receiving a large multimillion dollar contract. The candidate was acquitted in one country for a lack of evidence but pleaded guilty in the other for corruption and bribery. The employer ended up with a near billion-dollar fine.

There’s no question about it – the workforce is changing and employers must adapt to protect themselves from new blind spots and people risks. That means taking proactive measures like adopting social media background checks to prevent online misconduct that can impact not just an employee but the employer, their customers, and more.