GAINESVILLE, Fla. — A Florida appeals court has dismissed an appeal in a $90 million discrimination lawsuit filed against CAMPUS USA Credit Union after the plaintiffs failed to pay the required filing fee, ending—for now—a case stemming from the denial of a $33,000 personal loan application.
According to reporting by WCJB-TV in Gainesville, Renda Okike and Amanda Okike filed suit against the Gainesville-based credit union after alleging they were discriminated against while seeking a $33,000 personal loan at a CAMPUS USA branch in Newberry in March 2024. The lawsuit sought approximately $90 million in damages.
The plaintiffs alleged a credit union employee repeatedly questioned how they were related and treated them differently because they are Black. Chidozie Okike, a longtime CAMPUS USA member who accompanied the applicants but was not applying for the loan, told WCJB that the representative appeared to view him “with disgust” and repeatedly asked about the relationship among those present.
According to the report, the loan application ultimately was denied.
Allegations Denied
CAMPUS USA denied the allegations. In a statement provided to WCJB, the credit union said it “does not discriminate against any individual on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, marital status or any other protected characteristic” and said it intended to vigorously defend itself against the claims.
Court records show the case did not advance to a ruling on the merits. Instead, the plaintiffs’ appeal was dismissed after they failed to pay the required appellate filing fee, a procedural action that ended the appeal without the appellate court addressing the underlying discrimination allegations.
