Former Employee Sues Boca Raton Whole Foods Market For $978 Million
Former Employee Sues For Slander-Defamation Of Character. Seeking $978 Million In Damages.
BOCA RATON, FL – Boca Post (BocaPost.com) — A former employee of a Whole Foods Market in Boca Raton is suing the company for defamation of character claiming that the manager accused her of “trying to give HIV to white men”.
A newly filed lawsuit by a former employee Fredeline Justice, claims that a manager at the Whole Foods Market located at 1400 Glades Road made false and malicious statements about her which have caused public hatred and irreversible stigma.
The lawsuit claims that a store manager, identified as “Mary Ann”, accused Justice of “having HIV” and said Justice was “trying to give HIV to white men” while the store was full of customers. Justice says she was then verbally abused by customers in the Boca Raton Whole Foods Market.
The lawsuit references several instances where customers would interrogate her about having HIV and even insulted her appearance. The following inappropriate questions were asked by customers of the establishment following the manager’s alleged allegation:
- Are you in the city of Boca Raton to spread HIV to our white men?
- Where do you live?
- Why don’t you go back to West Palm Beach instead?
- When is the last time you went to the doctor?
- Did you tell them you were in pain?
- Did you tell them to test you for HIV?
- Are you stupid?
Justice says that the false rumors spread fast and have caused irreparable harm to her reputation. In the suit, Justice claims to be suffering from poor mental health, low self-esteem, sleepless nights, hallucinations, depression, suicidal thoughts, stress, and stigma.
In light of this allegation, Justice is suing Whole Foods Market for $978 Million dollars for the damages suffered to her reputation.
The lawsuit was filed yesterday in the 15th Circuit Court at the Palm Beach County Courthouse.
The complaint can be seen below:
