Mayo Clinic is being sued over allegations that a former research director was retaliated against and ultimately fired for raising concerns about the Rochester, Minn.-based health system’s artificial intelligence practices.
The lawsuit was filed Monday in U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota by Tracy Tamiko Eto, represented by HKM employment attorneys Artur Davis and Rebecca Rojas. The lawsuit alleges that Mayo Clinic violated the retaliation provisions of the False Claims Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and the Family and Medical Leave Act.
According to the complaint, Eto joined Mayo Clinic in December 2023 as director of research operations. She had been assigned leadership of the health system’s efforts to comply with Biden administration-era executive orders on AI security and privacy-based safeguards.
The complaint alleges that over an 18-month period, Eto discovered a “disturbing array of flaws in Mayo’s AI compass,” including patient privacy gaps, as well as “fundamental flaws,” including data manipulation to hide unfavorable results and software implementation without proper oversight.
The complaint alleges that Eto submitted an internal report to the legal department in February 2025, which led to his removal from project and operational planning meetings and the withdrawal of his supervisory authority. Ms. Eto was placed on a performance improvement plan in April 2025 for “mysterious stated reasons that she was not a cultural fit,” according to the complaint.
When Eto returned from medical leave, he was informed that his position would be terminated in September 2025 as part of a restructuring plan, according to the suit. She was told she could apply for a position within the company within 90 days and applied for 15 jobs, but received an interview for only one, according to the complaint.
Eto was officially fired on December 1st. She filed a complaint of discrimination and retaliation with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) on February 22nd and received a letter granting her right to sue on April 17th.
Mr. Eto is seeking a jury trial and other forms of relief under the ADA and the False Claims Act, including back pay, prepayments, lost profits, and compensatory and punitive damages.
“Mayo Clinic is committed to the responsible development and deployment of AI, incorporating privacy, security, transparency and compliance throughout the process,” a Mayo Clinic spokesperson told Fierce Healthcare in a statement. “Our research and clinical innovations are conducted in accordance with applicable laws and regulations, and we continue to uphold the trust our patients place in us and respect their privacy. Mayo Clinic does not comment on pending or ongoing litigation.”
