CEO apologized after HR called her a 'chimp' in interview email. Then her attorney found evidence the company — and its CEO — never existed
Jones had no legal case because Nexesh, the company, did not really exist
Allison Mathis Jones (@allisonmathisjones) had been job hunting since January, but with no success. When a company called Nexesh reached out, she was excited for the interview. However, they wanted to move it an hour later. Since she was not free, she tried to reschedule. Instead, she received an extremely disrespectful and racist email from HR. Four days later, Ethan Carter, the CEO, sent an apology email, but when Jones and her attorney did some more digging, Carter was not real. Jones shared the story in a series of videos, and the first video, shared on June 16, 2026, received 65,900 views, 5,383 likes, and 177 comments.
@allisonmathisjones Receiving an email from an HR manager addressing me as a "chimp" in 2026 is WILD. There is a long and ugly history of comparing Black people to monkeys and apes. Whether he wants to pretend otherwise or not, calling a Black woman a "chimp" isn't just unprofessional, it's racist. This is a reminder of what so many women, and especially Black women, are navigating in the workforce every day. We're told to network, put ourselves out there, advocate for ourselves, and pursue better opportunities. But, too often, the moment we exercise our right to choose what's best for us, we're labeled difficult, ungrateful, unprofessional, or worse. The job market is already exhausting. The expectation that women, especially Black women, should be grateful for whatever opportunity is placed in front of us is WILD. We deserve opportunities where professionalism is mutual and respect isn't conditional. Experiences like this are exactly why I've been leaning harder into building something of my own. Because nobody gets to decide my worth, my value, or my future except me. So, while some people are busy sending racist emails, I'll be over here building a business. Funny how what was meant to discourage me just gave me another reason to keep going. #blackwomeninbusiness #jobsearch #workplacebias #workplacediscrimination ♬ original sound - Allison Jones
The irony in the email
Jones logged on at 11 a.m. for an interview, and two minutes later, her interviewer joined, but their camera was off. They wanted to move the meeting an hour later, but Jones was not free and said she would reschedule on Calendly. A few minutes later, HR sent her an email, addressing her as "Chimp." In an extremely aggressive email, they wrote, "You showed up to the interview just to say you're not interested? What a clown." They added that she was wasting other people's time and playing games. They ended the email with, "No regards."
@allisonmathisjones Replying to @Bless_Your_Heart Yesterday’s video sparked a lot of conversation and honestly I still think I’m a little in shock that this actually happened. However, I wanted to follow up… If you experience racism, discrimination, harassment, or any other inappropriate behavior during your job search, you don’t have to just brush it off and move on… #blackwomeninbusiness #jobsearch #workplacebias #workplacediscrimination ♬ original sound - Allison Jones
'Someone hiding behind a computer screen'
In a series of follow-up videos, Jones talked about her experience and requested everyone to report Nexesh on LinkedIn. In her last video, she revealed that people accused her of lying and making up the story. For proof, she showed a screenshot of an email from Ethan Carter, Nexesh's CEO. He apologized for how she was treated and asked her to take down the videos. Jones and her attorney had been doing their research. She was sure that the company was a scam and the CEO was a fake persona.
@allisonmathisjones Replying to @ssloopss Earlier this week, I shared that a representative from a company called Nexesh referred to me as a "chimp" during what was supposed to be a job interview process. Since then, I've received apologies, public statements, private messages, and a lot of questions asking for the full story. Here's the full timeline, the receipts, and why there are still major concerns that go far beyond one employee's actions... What started as a racist incident quickly led me down a rabbit hole of inconsistencies, questionable business practices, and a company presence that raises more questions than answers. I've included screenshots so you can review the facts for yourself and come to your own conclusions. At this point, my goal isn't revenge, it's transparency. If sharing my experience helps even one person avoid finding themselves in a similar situation, then speaking up was worth it. Watch the full video, review the receipts, and make your own assessment, and tell me what you think! #jobsearch #workplacediscrimination #storytime #jobscam #scamalert ♬ original sound - Allison Jones
She said, "There is a very, very, very real possibility that this entire operation was just created by someone hiding behind a computer screen, pretending to be a legitimate employer." Since it was not a legitimate company, Jones had no actual legal case to pursue. She concluded, saying, "The job market is already hard enough, and so the last thing you should have to worry about is being treated unkindly." In another video, Jones told her followers that she immediately contacted her attorney, ready to fight the company for discriminating against her color.
@allisonmathisjones Replying to @Bless_Your_Heart Yesterday’s video sparked a lot of conversation and honestly I still think I’m a little in shock that this actually happened. However, I wanted to follow up… If you experience racism, discrimination, harassment, or any other inappropriate behavior during your job search, you don’t have to just brush it off and move on… #blackwomeninbusiness #jobsearch #workplacebias #workplacediscrimination ♬ original sound - Allison Jones
Scams and discrimination
The sad truth is that women have always been treated differently in the workplace. Add being a woman of color into the mix, and it gets worse. A poll conducted by Young Women's Trust in 2024 found that discrimination against Black women in the workplace rose from 31% in 2022 to 39% in 2024. Furthermore, Desta Fekedulegn's study found that Black women reported the highest rate of workplace discrimination at 25%, while White men reported the lowest at 11%.
As for fake companies, a 2026 LinkedIn survey shared that 29% of applicants stop to think whether a company is real before applying. While 22% fear getting scammed while browsing for jobs. Jones did not realize what she got herself into when she first applied for the job on LinkedIn.
Sorry, not sorry
People supported Jones and advised her not to remove the videos. @blackoutbrilliant commented, "Would’ve believed the apology had they not requested the videos to be taken down." @jessyjams2 wrote, "They were likely phishing for info. So many scams out there. It really makes applying for jobs so annoying."
You can follow Allison Mathis Jones (@allisonmathisjones) on TikTok for more lifestyle content.
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