Wells Fargo Accuses Black Shark Tank Contestant of Trying to Cash Fake Check

Photo of Chef Shawn David (right) and Shark Tank investor and entrepreneur Daymond John (left) from AtlantaBlackStar.com.

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Earlier this year, Chef Shawn Davis was accused by Wells Fargo bank employees of attempting to cash a fake IRS check. Davis, who’s built a multimillion-dollar food empire after appearing on the hit show Shark Tank, had been attempting to build a business relationship with the company. It went downhill from there.

What Happened

Shawn Davis has filed a lawsuit against Wells Fargo bank. According to the lawsuit, on July 11 of this year, Shawn Davis, known affectionately as Chef Big Shake, walked into Wells Fargo bank in Las Vegas with a $20,400 check. He had previously called and scheduled an appointment to open the account. Upon entry, he met with a personal banker named David Parra and attempted to open a business account and deposit the check from the U.S. Treasury.

After Parra collected the information of Davis, he stepped away from his desk and went to an area of the bank restricted to only employees. 15 minutes later, Parra came back and accused Davis of trying to cash a fake check. Davis immediately denied the accusation.

At that point, the branch manager Georgia Bell got involved and sided with Parra. According to reporter Akiya Dillon, Bell informed Davis she had spoken to the IRS through a “special line” and said the IRS had confirmed the check was “forged.” She then demanded Davis leave the bank.

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However, when Davis returned to his home state of Florida, a bank manager there confirmed his check to be real. That employee opened his business account and deposited the check without issue. That same employee “confirmed that Defendant Wells Fargo has no direct line to the IRS,” according to the lawsuit.

The lawsuit further states, “In reviewing the system, the Personal Banker and Branch Manager also noted that the Nevada Branch had not created an account, entered any internal notes, or performed any legitimate work during the forty-five minutes that Plaintiff spent there.”

From what it appears, personal banker David Parra and the branch manager Georgia Bell lied repeatedly throughout the encounter. They had not spoken to the IRS on a “special line.” The IRS had not confirm Davis’s check as forged. It appears the two did none of what they claimed to actually verify the authenticity of the check.

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According to ReviewJournal.com, Davis’s lawsuits says he “suffered reputational damage, loss of dignity, and public humiliation.” It seeks damages of over $15,000, but it’s not about the money, his lawyer says.

“Shawn doesn’t need the money, but his story personifies the discrimination and prejudice that African Americans often face at the hands of major corporations,” his Las Vegas attorney Milan Chatterjee explained. “He recognizes how this can bring attention to a nationwide issue. I give him great credit for being willing to put himself out there and do this.”

The Takeaway

A Wells Fargo Las Vegas branch falsely accused Chef Shawn Davis of attempting to cash a fraudulent $20,400 U.S. Treasury check on July 11, 2025. Personal banker David Parra and branch manager Georgia Bell seems to have lied repeatedly throughout the encounter. Davis’s attorney Milan Chatterjee is on the case and notes it’s not about the money. It’s about respect and dignity.

This article was written by Jermaine Reed, MFA, the Editor-in-Chief of The Reeders Block.