NEW YORK (VINnews) – Billionaire investor Bill Ackman is defending himself after facing widespread backlash on social media over his role in a viral video involving former KPMG employee Yuen Lee.

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Ackman reposted a video of Lee confronting a man at Chelsea Piers Flatiron and tagged KPMG, where Lee worked as an assurance manager. Lee has said the man harassed her during the encounter and that she was defending herself.

During the confrontation, Lee called the man a “Zionist pig,” a remark that drew criticism online and prompted Ackman to publicly condemn her conduct.

Lee has since said that Ackman’s actions contributed to her losing her job at KPMG. She has also posted a video explaining her side of the confrontation, saying she was wearing a keffiyeh and describing the circumstances that led to the exchange.

KPMG manager Yuen Lee says she was fired after Jewish billionaire Bill Ackman posted a video of her calling a man a “Zionist pig” and tagging her employer 😳 https://t.co/cfEb1abxcc pic.twitter.com/MeIckLOrFW

— Charging… (@RedPillSayian) September 22, 2026

Ackman pushed back against criticism of his role, saying he merely reposted the video and alerted KPMG.

“All I did was repost a video and tag KPMG,” Ackman wrote on X.

Ackman said he was told KPMG conducted a thorough investigation and, after reviewing the facts and videos, made the decision to terminate Lee.

“If someone at my firm called a person of any ethnicity a … pig in the manner she did, I would also fire them,” Ackman wrote, adding that his firm has “no tolerance for that kind of conduct.”

All I did was repost a video and tag KPMG. I am told KPMG did a thorough investigation and after reviewing the facts and the videos made the decision to terminate her.

If someone at my firm called a person of any ethnicity a ——- pig in the manner she did, I would also fire…

— Bill Ackman (@BillAckman) September 23, 2026

Meanwhile, Lee has launched a GoFundMe campaign following the controversy and her firing. The fundraiser had raised nearly $80,000 by Tuesday night, according to the campaign.

The confrontation and Lee’s firing have sparked a heated social media debate over the encounter, her comments, Ackman’s involvement and KPMG’s decision to terminate her.

Lee’s video provides her account of the incident, while Ackman has maintained that KPMG independently investigated the matter and made its own employment decision.