Former Owner Of The Tannery Banned From Running A Retail Business In Massachusetts After Discrimination Complaints

BOSTON (CBS) --  Hicham Ali "Sam" Hassan, who once owned a now-closed clothing and shoe store in the Back Bay, is now banned from running a retail business in Massachusetts. Attorney General Maura Healey also announced Friday that the former "Tannery" owner needs to compensate victims of his alleged racist discrimination with up to $220,000 in restitution.

Back in 2017, Hassan was accused of engaging in a pattern of discrimination against customers at the high-end store. A complaint stated that Hassan stopped a Black customer at the store, suggested he didn't have enough money to shop at the Tannery, and said "he did not want [his] kind in [the] store." In another case, Hassan stopped a woman of Syrian descent in his store and asked where she was from.

Hassan allegedly told her that he didn't trust immigrants and said "I love Trump! I am glad he is going to get rid of all the immigrants," the complaint said.

"We have strong laws in Massachusetts to put an end to the kind of unlawful, unacceptable, and racist behavior that this business owner blatantly displayed in his store," Healey said in a statement. "This settlement provides relief to the customers that were harmed and makes clear that everyone should be welcome and respected in businesses across our state."

The settlement prevents Hassan "from reopening the Tannery or operating any other place of public accommodation in Massachusetts."