NEW ORLEANS – A Paulina woman formerly employed at a Plattenville bank alleges she was unlawfully terminated.
Jessica Kell filed a complaint on Feb. 22 in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana against Iberville Bank and its successor First Bancshares Inc., alleging that the former employer violated the Bank Secrecy Act.
According to the complaint, the plaintiff was employed as a vice president for Iberville Bank at the Plattenville branch and was authorized to submit suspicious activity reports. The suit states officers at the bank filed to tell the plaintiff about a $700,000 loss in the insurance division. The plaintiff alleges she was informed of the loss in October 2015 and was instructed not to contact law enforcement. She states she was placed on probation in February 2016 for pretextual reasons and then terminated in March 2016.
The plaintiff holds Iberville Bank and its successor First Bancshares Inc. responsible because the defendant allegedly discriminated against her and discharged her from employment for providing information of a $700,000 loss to a federal supervisory agency.
The plaintiff requests a trial by jury and seeks an order that this complaint be deemed good and sufficient, and after trial, that she be awarded full back pay, reinstatement, compensatory damages, attorney's fees and costs and all other relief that the court may deem just and proper. She is represented by Christina L. Carroll of Robein, Urann, Spencer, Picard & Cangemi in Metairie.
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana Case number 2:17-cv-01527