A pair of former Barneys security guards are scheduled to meet with investigators on Friday to provide details about the high-end retail store's alleged systematic policy of racially profiling minority customers.
According to the New York Daily News, State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman plans to meet with Raymel Cardona and Aaron Argueta as part of his ongoing probe into recent complaints from a growing number of African-American shoppers at Barneys and fellow retailer Macy's.
The News reports the two former Barneys' workers have a combined 30 years of security experience and insist "an aggressive loss prevention program at the flagship store on Madison Ave. led to more customer complaints of profiling."
"The idea is to hear firsthand what they have to say," said one source. "It's normal investigative procedure."
While Barneys officials have dismissed the two men's claims as those of "disgruntled employees" fired for cause, they, at least on the surface, seem in line with the recent experiences suffered by shoppers Trayon Christian and Kayla Phillips.
Christian, 19, was stopped by cops in April as he left the store after purchasing a $349 Ferragamo belt, while Phillips was targeted two months prior after her purchase of a $2,500 designer handbag.
In both instances, police harassed the victims, even peppering them with questions about how could they get the money to make such expensive purchases. A police spokesman later told The News cops only moved on the two victims after they were contacted by suspicious store employees.
Meanwhile, a similar flap and pattern of abuse has erupted at Macy's, where two African-American customers - including Rob Brown, one of the stars of theHBO series Treme - claimed they were stopped and frisked after purchases at the store's Herald Square outlet.
At Barneys, the revelations have prompted some to call for hip hop star Jay Z to end his dealings with the retailer. The store is set to launch a limited-edition clothing and jewelry line from the Roc Nation sports founder later this month. Jay Z has maintained he is gathering all the facts before making a final determination.
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