After 11 years at Kentucky Ford plant, diabetic worker was fired over a $1.95 cookie, later offered $33,000 in back wages after proving he paid, now plans to sue the carmaker

Kurt Kromm, a 60-year-old former electrician for Ford, is eyeing to file a lawsuit against the carmaker he was wrongly accused of stealing a $1.95 packet of cookies and later fired. His 11-year career abruptly came to an end with Ford’s Kentucky Truck Plant in May when the company accused him of stealing a $1.95 packet of Grandma’s Chocolate Chip Cookies from a self‑checkout kiosk.

Kromm, who is diabetic, insisted he paid for Grandma’s Chocolate Chip Cookies and even produced bank records to prove himself. Later on, Ford was forced to offer him $33,000 in back wages and his old job back.

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A diabetic worker, a glitch kiosk and a cookie

Kurt Kromm was working in an overnight shift when he purchased the snack as his blood sugar dipped. He has blamed the snafu on confusing instructions on a payment terminal. He told The New York Post that at first, the terminal flashed a red error message but later on appeared to function normally when he swiped his debit card again.

“I figured, well, it probably went through,” he told reporters. “This was so inconsequential to me — $1.95. I figured I paid," he said, as per The Independent.

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At that time, he didn't think much about it as the snack was just a minor purchase. But a week later, Kurt Kromm was called by his supervisors, who accused him of taking the cookies without making the payment and fired him. He was then escorted out of the Kentucky Truck Plant before he had the chance to check the kiosk records or review what had happened.

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What do the bank records show?

After carefully reviewing his bank activities, Kromm said he found a $1.95 debit card transaction that matched the timing and amount of the cookie purchase. He submitted a bank statement to Ford and to Aramark as proof that the payment had been processed. This prompted Ford to give him $33,000 in back wages and an offer of reinstatement, an offer he has now denied.

“The accusation of theft made against Mr. Kromm was false, and the proof was available to both Aramark and Ford from the start,” his attorney, J. Will Huber, told The Independent. “Our investigation is ongoing, and we are exploring all available claims, including defamation.”

“Neither Aramark nor Ford has published a retraction, and to this day neither has cleared Mr. Kromm's name,” Huber added. “The way Aramark and Ford handled this situation was unacceptable, and Mr. Kromm intends to pursue his claims to the fullest extent of the law.”

Ford responds, says reviewing kiosk issue

Ford has declined to comment directly on Kromm’s potential lawsuit, saying it does not address pending litigation. However, the company acknowledged that concerns have been raised about the self‑serve kiosks it has introduced at its plants.

"We have invested significantly to upgrade our workplaces, including self-serve kiosks operated by Aramark to provide 24/7 convenience for our employees,” a spokesperson said in a statement. “We are aware there have been some issues raised regarding the kiosk functionality in some limited cases, and we are working with Aramark to review these situations."

Aramark, which operates the kiosks, offered a similarly cautious response. “We do not comment on potential litigation,” a spokesperson said. “We remain focused on operating with integrity and accountability.”

“I’m doing what the union should be doing”

In addition to criticizing Ford and Aramark, Kromm has voiced disappointment with his union, the United Auto Workers (UAW). Represented by the UAW, he said he expected stronger backing after he was accused.

“I’m doing what the union should be doing,” Kromm told the newsletter Shifting Gears with Phoebe Wall Howard, which first reported his claims. “They should be standing up and pounding on the table and saying this is unacceptable. You don’t treat people this way.”

Kromm also argued that Ford should not have fired him over a low-value item without first conducting a thorough investigation. He said Aramark, meanwhile, should not have made allegations against him without fully researching the facts.

Another former Ford employee, Nick Nabozny, claimed he lost his job at a Michigan plant in April after being wrongly accused of taking Ritz crackers at a similar kiosk.