A Black Kansas City man is suing a bank for their alleged response to him attempting to do a very basic task — a responses he says was entirely driven by his race.
Last year, Michael Waller, 64, attempted to open business accounts at two different branches for Commerce Bank. However, he said the staff at both locations denied him the opportunity to do so because he’s Black. Waller said bank employees called the cops on him as a form of retaliation and intimidation.
According to the Kansas City Star, the lawsuit was filed last month in Jackson County court and named branch manager Mary “Jo” Burdett and customer advocate Ann Bronson as defendants in addition to Commerce Bank.
Waller said that Burdett, Bronson and other Commerce Bank employees refused him service on discriminatory grounds and then took retaliatory action against him after an initial interaction.
Court documents explained that Waller was first turned away from opening business accounts even though he already had a personal account with the bank on June 20, 2023. Waller was hoping to open two separate accounts—one for his lawn care business and another for his gift business—but was told he brought improper documentation.
He was told he had improper documentation again on June 21 and returned with the requested documents on June 27. During the third attempt, a Commerce Bank employee allegedly asked Waller and his fiancé why they didn’t open an account that was closer to Waller’s home in east Kansas City.
The employee ultimately refused to open the accounts altogether, court documents stated. Waller alleged that the employee acted hostile toward him because Waller and his fiancé are Black.
Waller also alleged that the employee did not give a reason as to why he was ineligible to open a business account at Commerce Bank.
The lawsuit stated that the employee reported Waller to Commerce Bank’s fraud investigation department, allegedly without cause, and that law enforcement officials were called to the bank as Waller and his fiancé were leaving.
When he tried to open the accounts at a different Commerce branch, Waller was once again denied because of the ongoing investigation. He went on to open business accounts at another Kansas City bank and filed a charge of discrimination with the Missouri Commission in November 2023.
In August, the Commission issued Waller a notice of right to sue. A case management conference for the lawsuit has been scheduled for next year.