Doctor sues Chase Bank over alleged racial discrimination
HOUSTON (KTRK) - A Houston doctor is taking legal action against JPMorgan Chase Bank after she says she was discriminated against and denied service because of the color of her skin.
Dr. Malika Mitchell-Stewart, who is Black, says she went to Chase’s First Colony branch in Sugar Land, Texas, last December to open an account and deposit a $16,000 check from her new job.
According to the lawsuit, staff members at the bank said her check was fake and questioned her job status as a doctor. Mitchell-Stewart’s attorney says she provided identification and had fellow workers confirm her employment.
Even so, Mitchell-Stewart says the staff ultimately denied her services.
“It was really an unfortunate situation. They took my special moment away,” she said. “I felt like a criminal. I’ve never done anything wrong. In order to get a Texas medical license… you have to have a clean record [and] go to school for so many years. They just didn’t care. They didn’t respect that. They didn’t respect my credentials or anything.”
Officials at Chase Bank issued a statement saying the incident is under investigation. The bank also says it has apologized to Mitchell-Stewart.
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