[rmetzler]

Look for a better full time job now. Your time there is limited.

I'm not in the US, so I don't know anything about how you have to handle this legally, but I would publicly apologize for any unintended wrongdoing and make clear that you don't know what you are punished for. Be rather brief.

Any decent person (which isn't legally bound) will come to you and give you some hints or let you know what happened from their view. If not, forget about it and move on.

[fjfkdjfjfjd]

Thanks for your advice. The first question I was asked was if I knew why I was brought into the meeting with management. I answered I honestly did not know. When they told me, I made someone feel uncomfortable I apologized for any harm I caused to this person. I asked if I could know who this person is so I could apologize to them but I was informed that they had no interest in speaking to me. Its been two weeks, and no-one has come forward to me yet sadly. If I were in their shoes, I would have come forward to someone who is bothering me prior to going to management. Though if I did feel seriously intimidated by this person, I would ask if I could have a meeting with management and the person bothering me present. But thats just me.

[apatters]

I would second the call to start looking for a new job ASAP. However I would focus my energies entirely on ensuring the healthiest departure possible, leaving any and all relationships you can on a positive note. And I would not speak a single word about this accusation ever again.

Unfortunately business culture in the US is such that it's very easy to become "tainted" by an accusation like this, and it's the next worst thing for your career after being a felon.

Actual evidence of wrongdoing is not a prerequisite for your conviction in the court of public opinion. It may seem unjust, and if things went down as you describe, it is. But you're best served by walking away from this situation in an orderly and professional fashion. Don't feed the trolls--shift attention and energy, both yours and others', on positives ASAP. The sooner you that happens the less chance this will come back to bite you one day.

[fjfkdjfjfjd]

Thanks for your comment! Well said! I am looking forward to working as hard as I can and then moving on in a few months when this internship ends. But becoming "tainted" or worse, convicted of a crime is what I am worried about, especially further down the line, when I have a permanent position, a mortgage to pay, or a family to support. I recall in a Planet Money podcast episode an interview with a Wells Fargo banker, who after being pressured to meet new account quotas by opening extra accounts without their customers express desire, was somehow marked when she left her position, and had trouble finding another job in the banking industry. I wonder if anything like this (or perhaps a social credit system) exists, and if it could be corrected/adjusted as spurious information on one's credit report can be taken off.