PayPal has faced allegations of racial bias in its $535 million investment program, with restrictions placed on Black and Hispanic applicants. An American businessman has filed a lawsuit against the digital payments company, claiming that it cost Black and Hispanic applicants millions of dollars.
Thursday’s accusations by Nisha Desai and her venture capital firm, Andav Capital, are part of a larger movement by some conservatives to challenge diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts in corporate America.
Mr. Desai, a businessman born and raised in the Deep South to immigrant parents, believed he was a good candidate for PayPal’s investment program. Despite PayPal’s commitment to supporting Black and minority-owned businesses, Desai faced challenges in securing funding and alleged that PayPal stopped communicating with him.
Desai claimed that PayPal deemed several businessmen of Asian descent ineligible for funding, indicating a potential bias against certain minority groups within the company.
The lawsuit filed in Manhattan federal court accuses PayPal of violating civil rights laws, including Section 1981 of the Civil Rights Act of 1866 and Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Desai is seeking damages and a cessation of discriminatory practices in PayPal’s investment programs.
Desai’s legal representation, Consovoy McCarthy, has a history of advocating for conservative causes and has previously challenged diversity initiatives. The law firm did not provide a comment on the matter.
Source: www.theguardian.com
