Black Shopper Files Lawsuit against Best Buy after Being Falsely Accused of Credit Card Fraud

NEW YORK - Dec. 17, 2014 - PRLog -- Attorney Marsha Mozammel, an associate of Imbesi Law PC, filed a lawsuit against Best Buy Co., Inc. on behalf of shopper Michael Alexis, alleging that Mr. Alexis was subjected to Best Buy’s unlawful racial profiling practices when he was accused of credit card theft and detained by Best Buy security officers and police officers.

Mr. Alexis’ lawsuit claims that he was accused of theft and credit card fraud and subsequently detained because he is Black.

On or about July 8, 2014, Mr. Alexis entered Best Buy intending to purchase a few items using the credit card of his girlfriend, whose permission he had obtained prior to visiting the store.  Mr. Alexis approached a Caucasian male Best Buy sales representative and inquired if he was permitted to purchase items using his girlfriend’s credit card. The sales representative replied that he could not use the credit card.At no time did Mr. Alexis furnish the credit card to the sales representative or claim that the credit card was in his possession.

Upon exiting the store, Mr. Alexis was approached by one Best Buy security officer and two NYPD police officers and accused ​​ of credit card theft. Mr. Alexis, who was on his cell phone with his girlfriend, replied that the credit card was not stolen and informed the officers that they could speak with his girlfriend for verification. Despite having the opportunity to speak with Mr. Alexis’ girlfriend and resolve the matter quickly, the officers ordered Mr. Alexis to put his phone away and threatened to use force if he refused. In the presence of on looking customers, the officers said they knew the credit card was stolen because Mr. Alexis looked like a “Jamaican drug dealer.”

The complaint alleges that Mr. Alexis was then “detained in the small, windowless room at the back of the Best Buy store without basis and probable cause for approximately one (1) hour.” It also alleges that Mr. Alexis was deprived of his personal property while the officers surrounded him in an intimidating and threatening manner. Significantly, the complaint alleges that when authorities verified that the credit card belonged to Mr. Alexis’ girlfriend and it was established that neither theft nor credit card fraud had occurred, Mr. Alexis was still prohibited from shopping at Best Buy and ordered to leave the premises immediately. Mr. Alexis was then escorted out the store as though he were a criminal, causing him humiliation and distress.

The complaint alleges that “Best Buy targeted Mr. Alexis for his race and accused him of theft and credit card fraud without any probable cause. The foregoing conduct by Best Buy resulted in Mr. Alexis being denied the privileges of a place of public accommodation based on his race.”

Imbesi Law PC has represented numerous victims of racial profiling against many companies.