Lizzie Pugh, a black woman who scored a $10k win at Soaring Eagle Casino in Michigan, was turned away by Fifth Third Bank in Livonia, Michigan, when she tried to open an account to deposit her winnings there. According to her lawsuit, three white bank employees there falsely claimed the the check was "fraudulent".
The 71-year-old Detroit public school retiree says she was then forced to confront bank employees who initially refused to give her check back. According to the complaint, Pugh asked the bank employees to call 911 because she was not leaving without her check. Pugh then spoke with a third bank employee who also said the check was fraudulent and because of that the bank would not allow Pugh to open an account and deposit the check. Eventually the bank employees gave Pugh her check back.
Five Thirds of a Bank, three fifths of a human.
