Tyrese Gibson Accuses Home Depot of ‘Outrageous Discriminatory Mistreatment’ in $1 Million Lawsuit
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Fast and Furious franchise star Tyrese Gibson has filed a $1 million lawsuit against Home Depot, claiming he was subjected to “outrageous discriminatory mistreatment and consumer racial profiling.”
The lawsuit centers around an alleged Feb. 11, 2023, incident at a store near Los Angeles, where Gibson says he and two associates — Eric Mora and Manuel Hernandez — were racially profiled while trying to check out. The suit claims that “store clerks purposely interfered with and refused to process the transaction based on their groundless suspicion of Gibson, Mora, and Hernandez arising from their skin color, and, in the case of Mora and Hernandez, their national origin.”
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In a statement shared with Rolling Stone, Gibson called Mora and Hernandez “craftsmen” who have been an “integral part of my team and have made significant contributions to my visions for over a decade.”
The actor — who claims in the suit that he has “purchased no less than” $1 million of material from Home Depot over the years — continued: “Together, we ardently uphold our commitments to civil rights, promoting empathy, and understanding. Standing united against organizations like The Home Depot, we envision a world free from discriminatory practices and consumer racial profiling. Just as I have done for the past 20-plus years, I pledge to continue to utilize my platform to empower the voiceless, fostering a spirit of unity and hope, while illuminating our shared path forward.”
Gibson also shared video of part of the incident on Instagram. In the clip he expresses his frustration with the cashier and a few other Home Depot employees store.
A rep for Home Depot did not immediately return Rolling Stone’s request for comment, though a company spokesperson did share a statement with Entertainment Weekly. “Diversity and respect for all people are core to who we are, and we do not tolerate discrimination in any form. We value Mr. Gibson as a customer, and in the months since this happened, we’ve reached out to him and his attorneys several times to try to resolve his concerns. We will continue to do so.”
According to the suit, the incident began with a slow checkout process as Gibson, Mora, and Hernandez were trying to purchase materials for “an ongoing project.” After ostensibly scanning all the items, the cashier allegedly said everything needed to be rescanned “because of a purported glitch in the system.” During the wait, Gibson says he was approached by fans who recognized him and, “not wanting to create a disturbance in the store,” decided to go back to his car.
Gibson claims he “communicated to the cashier” that he would return to his car and that Mora and Hernandez would complete the purchase with his credit card. According to the suit, “The cashier acknowledged Gibson and said he understood.” When Gibson allegedly asked the cashier if he needed anything else to complete the transaction, “the cashier said no, and that Gibson could leave.”
But, the lawsuit claims, the cashier then “refused to complete the purchase transaction” when Mora and Hernandez handed over Gibson’s credit card. Gibson allegedly spoke to the cashier over FaceTime Video from the car in an effort to authorize the transaction, but ultimately said he had to return to the store. “The cashier gave no reasonable explanation other than repeating ‘store policy’ and demanded to see a form of identification,” the suit claims, alleging that the manager “refused to speak with Gibson in person.”
After a “significant heated discussion with the cashier,” Gibson says he was finally able to purchase his items.
The suit alleges the actions of the cashier and manager “were discriminatory based on race and origin,” arguing, “there is no other plausible explanation for the mistreatment.” It additionally claims that the Home Depot has “refused to take any responsibility for discriminating against” the three men, nor has it acknowledged “the pain, humiliation and anguish caused by the company.”
The suit continues: “Instead, The Home Depot doubled down, lawyered-up, and treated Gibson, Mora and Hernandez and what happened to them as not worthy of any due consideration – instead inferring that they are the problem. In short, The Home Depot invited this civil rights lawsuit.”
This story was updated at 2:15 p.m. ET with video of the alleged incident, which Gibson shared on Instagram.
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