December 9th 2025.
Tianna Williams, a Black woman entrepreneur, has a warning for her fellow diverse business owners - be cautious of "banking while Black." Williams recently experienced firsthand the negative consequences of this issue, when she became a victim of a fraudulent bank investigation that left her business in shambles. As reported by Lehigh Valley Live, this incident not only left her in a financially difficult situation, but also impacted her personal life and her family's well-being.
Growing up in a household that struggled financially, Williams was determined to find a way to improve her situation. After learning the skill of "flipping cars," which involved purchasing cars at low prices, making necessary repairs, and selling them for a profit, she finally found a way to get ahead. With her newfound passion, Williams worked at a dealership before eventually opening her own car lot in Pennsylvania.
Williams worked tirelessly to obtain a dealer's license and establish relationships with lenders to finance her sales. Her main clientele consisted of low-income individuals who needed reliable transportation to secure work. Her hard work and dedication paid off, as she was able to earn over $1 million in gross earnings within just two years.
However, Williams' success took a sudden turn when she approached M&T Bank in Philadelphia for higher lending power. After submitting a $35,000 deposit and applying for a new line of credit, her account was suddenly frozen. The bank claimed that she was under investigation for fraud, but Williams maintains that she had done nothing wrong. Despite her protests, the bank continued to freeze her assets, which were crucial for keeping her business afloat. To make matters worse, the bank's investigator then reported their suspicions to Williams' lenders, damaging her relationships and ultimately causing her business to fail.
It wasn't until Williams hired an attorney that the bank finally reversed the freeze on her account. However, by that time, the damage had already been done. With her reputation and relationships with lenders tarnished, Williams' business could not recover. In an effort to seek justice, Williams filed a discrimination suit against the bank, with her defense also highlighting the investigator's "spite, racism, and self-righteousness" as contributing factors to the prolonged fraud case.
Initially, the bank claimed that the freeze was due to a misspelled name on a check. However, the issue could have been easily resolved, yet the case dragged on. Williams' filing also states that the investigator continued to target her, even going as far as to say "'you people' have a way of trying to make things look legitimate when they are actually fraudulent." The bank's legal team also refused to provide necessary documentation related to Williams' case, raising suspicions of racial discrimination.
Williams and her legal team hope to shed light on this alleged discrimination and raise awareness of how banks can take advantage of anyone, regardless of their background. This case of "banking while Black" highlights yet another way that racism affects entrepreneurs of color. However, Williams' attorney, Dean Malik, believes that this issue goes beyond race and is ultimately a matter of holding the bank accountable for their actions.
Currently, the bank has appealed a judge's order to hand over the requested documents. The Pennsylvania Supreme Court will make the final decision, as both parties eagerly await the ruling. This case serves as a reminder that discrimination and injustice can occur in any industry, and it is important for individuals to stand up against it in order to bring about change.
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