Posted on: September 12, 2024, 08:39h.
Last updated on: September 12, 2024, 08:39h.
Two Aria Resort & Casino employees who were terminated for allegedly taking millions of dollars have filed a lawsuit against the Las Vegas gaming property and parent company MGM Resorts International for unjust dismissal.
Erendira Dominguez and Allison Lopez deny the accusations of theft and filed their legal claim in a federal court in Las Vegas on Monday.
In their complaint, they allege that they were treated unfairly based on their gender and Hispanic background. They also claim to have experienced various forms of distress and harm as a result of their employer’s actions.
Unfounded Claims
Both Dominguez and Lopez began working at Aria in 2009. They were suspended from their positions on August 30, 2023, and subsequently fired in December 2023.
Dominguez held a coordinator role, while Lopez worked as a manager in the marketing department of the resort-casino.
During the period from 2021 to 2023, their responsibilities involved booking hotel rooms for Las Vegas Golf Adventures, as reported by the Las Vegas Review-Journal. This service offered golf packages to hotel guests.
In 2023, a new vice president of national marketing at Aria accused Lopez of booking rooms for personal use, alleging that “millions of dollars” were unaccounted for. However, the lawsuit dismissed these claims as baseless speculation, according to the Review-Journal.
Lopez and Dominguez assert that they did not have access to the relevant company account and were unable to withdraw or transfer any funds from it.
Furthermore, the legal action states that MGM Resorts and Aria were unable to determine the whereabouts of the missing money. Neither of the women were ever charged by the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD).
Both Lopez and Dominguez are seeking compensatory and punitive damages, as well as lost wages through their lawsuit.
Additionally, they claim that the false accusations have damaged their reputations and prevented them from finding employment in the casino industry.
Discriminatory Treatment
While working at Aria, the two women reported to male senior executives. None of the male executives faced suspension, as highlighted in the lawsuit.
Only the Hispanic female plaintiffs were subjected to such discriminatory treatment,” stated the lawsuit.
One male executive was reassigned to an MGM Resorts property in Ohio, and another male executive resigned from his position, receiving severance pay.
A trial date for the lawsuit has yet to be scheduled, and there may be legal motions filed before the trial commences.
Both women have requested a jury trial. If the case goes to trial, evidence will be presented by both parties, and the jury will make a ruling.
It is unknown whether the case will be resolved through a pre-trial settlement.
Casino.org reached out to MGM Resorts for a response to the lawsuit, but the company spokesperson declined to comment.