Arab Group Files Bank Account Closures Lawsuit
By COREY WILLIAMS, Associated Press
DETROIT (AP) - A civil rights group has filed a class-action lawsuit against Huntington Bank, saying it improperly closed accounts held by Detroit-area Arab Americans.
Attorney Nabih Ayad says the Arab-American Civil Rights League filed the suit Thursday in U.S. District Court in Detroit.
The organization says it's received hundreds of complaints that bank accounts were closed for no apparent reason. It says Huntington informed Arab American account holders by letter that the accounts were being closed but gave no other explanations.
The organization earlier this year asked the federal government to investigate banks for closing Arab Americans' accounts.
Huntington spokeswoman Maureen Brown says the bank is reviewing the matter but can't comment on legal issues. Brown says Huntington "appreciates the opportunity to do business within the Arab-American community" in Detroit and elsewhere.
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