HOUSTON – Two of the country’s oldest civil rights organizations have brought a federal lawsuit against Capital One, N.A., according to recent Houston Division of the Southern District of Texas records.
The NAACP, Houston Branch and LULAC, District VIII are suing the Virginia-based financial services company over what the groups allege is racial discrimination against blacks and Latinos.
“The NAACP and LULAC bring this suit in their representative capacities and as a class action seeking injunctive and declaratory judgment relief against Capital One because of its institutionalized and systematic racism in connection with the provision of banking services to Black and Latino members of the NAACP and LULAC relating to their access and ability to obtain mortgages, loans for home improvements, apply for lines of credit and other customary banking and credit services,” the original petition filed on Feb. 27 explains.
Court papers state that Capital One closed its brick and mortar facilities in black and Latino communities while keeping similar structures in white communities.
The plaintiffs further claim the defendant is “disproportionately and deliberately by their actions increasing the digital divide between minority customers and white customers.”
An individual plaintiff and former Capital One employee, Laurie Vignaud, says the respondent instructed her to monitor the “knowledge and reactions of the black and Latino communities resulting from (its) purposeful discriminatory practice of closing its banks and traditional banking services in minority and low to middle income communities.”
Per Vignaud, the defendant discriminated against her as well prior to terminating her after 20 years of employment.
Consequently, the complainants seek unspecified monetary damages and a jury trial.
Their lead counsel is Benjamin L. Hall, III of the Hall Law Firm in Houston.
Houston Division of the Southern District of Texas Case No. 4:18-CV-0603