Ferndale – Hispanic Ferndale resident Erandy Pacheco is filing a lawsuit against Fifth Third Bank for discrimination. 

On June 20, Pacheco tried to deposit a check into her account at Fifth Third Bank on Coolidge Highway for around $9,500.  The check was from the U.S. Treasury after her seven-month translating job for the U.S. District Court.

Pacheco claimed that the bank teller said she needed approval, and called upon a manager.  A few minutes later, two police officers arrived to the bank and took Pacheco into police custody, where she was questioned for two hours before being released.

The check was released from the police back to Pacheco the next day.  Two days after the incident, Pacheco went back to Fifth Third Bank where the manager refused to apologize.  The manager also threatened to call the police once again on Pacheco. 

The lawsuit was filed in Oakland County Circuit Court under Erandy Pacheco Salazar last week.  The suit is demanding a minimum of $25,000 in damages.  Since the lawsuit’s filing, the bank manager was said to be no longer working with Fifth Third Bank.