The owner of the South Melbourne brothel Gotham City is suing Bendigo Bank, alleging discrimination after the bank closes the business’s accounts. The bank says it took the action to comply with anti-money laundering obligations. The dispute centres on whether the account closures were a lawful response to regulatory requirements or whether they targeted the brothel’s industry in a discriminatory way.
All reports describe the claim using similar language, including the brothel owner’s characterisation of the actions as “corporate bullying.” The bank maintains that its decision was driven by legal and compliance duties rather than the nature of the business. The sources agree that the lawsuit is filed by the brothel owner and directed at Bendigo Bank following the account closures.
The coverage does not indicate the court’s findings or any outcome at this stage. The case will depend on evidence presented about the bank’s compliance rationale, the circumstances leading to the closures, and whether discrimination occurred.
