“Dr. Malika Mitchell-Stewart, who had just started working with the Valley Oaks Medical Group in Houston, said she tried depositing her first paycheck for $16,000 last December [but] was met with skepticism as employees questioned the validity of her check and her job,” a Daily Mail story on Friday, February 4, 2022 says (read it here).
She claims the employees “treated her like a criminal.” Her lawsuit against the bank, which asks for $1 million of damages, says,
“Dr. Mitchell-Stewart just completed her residency and started employment with the Valley Oaks Medical Group. … She knows that to be accused of a crime … could derail [her] career …. Dr. Mitchell-Stewart certainly did not expect that when she attempted to open a bank account … and proudly deposit her first check as a new physician she would be accused of fraud and denied the ability to open a bank account …. What Dr. Mitchell-Stewart was reminded of … was that … because of her race, [she] was discriminated … and denied services provided to non-African American customers …”
The bank says it’s investigating the incident. My guess is those employees won’t work there anymore, she won’t become a customer there, and when she does open an account at a different bank, she’ll be depositing more than $16,000, but not $1 million. This screwup probably will settle for low six figures.
Photo: Dr. Mitchell-Stewart with one of her attorneys