Wells Fargo facing federal investigation over alleged fake interviews for women and minorities

Wells Fargo is facing a federal inquiry into whether the major U.S. financial institution violated federal law when it reportedly hosted fake interviews for female and minority candidates as part of an effort to fulfill diversity quotas.

A civil rights division inside the U.S. Attorney’s Manhattan office is investigating the bank, according to the New York Times. The investigation comes after a whistleblower revealed allegations of fake interviews being held by the company.

The whistleblower, former Wells Fargo staffer Joe Bruno, claimed that company officials were holding bogus interviews with "diverse" candidates to present the company as one that was actively seeking nonwhite, non-male candidates. 

Wells Fargo several years ago instituted a policy in which half of all candidates interviewing for jobs with six-figure salaries need to be "diverse" individuals, a term generally understood to signify women and racial minorities. 

Following Bruno’s allegations, multiple other employees and/or professional candidates came forward with similar allegations of having been subject to, or having hosted, fake interviews.