A New York City real estate broker allegedly sent a racist text about prospective tenants to a property owner, only to accidentally include one of the would-be renters in the conversation.
The couple has since sued the broker, identified as Helen Tzelios, real estate giant Douglas Elliman and several property owners over the encounter.
The incident unfolded before the pair even stepped inside the Queens apartment they hoped to rent, according to court documents obtained by the Daily Mail.
'Ugh they are black,' read the message allegedly sent by the agent, who had spotted the couple arriving for a viewing in Flushing.
Lisa Renee Olaso and her fiancé, Cyril Christopher, had relocated from Delaware in June after Olaso landed a new job and were excited about moving into an apartment on 26th Avenue.
They had arranged to meet a Douglas Elliman broker at the property, but the agent allegedly saw them from a distance and sent the text before ever introducing herself.
Olaso was mistakenly included in the exchange, which she said was intended for the property owner.
'As we were getting out of the car, I received the text message that said, "Ugh they are black,"' Olaso said in a press conference.
'Ugh they are Black,' read the message allegedly sent by the agent, who had spotted the couple arriving for a viewing in Flushing
The couple has now taken legal action against Douglas Elliman Realty, Tzelios, and several individuals listed as owners of the property
Stunned by what she had read, Olaso immediately told Christopher to get back inside their car.
She then confronted Tzelios about the message, prompting a bogus explanation that allegedly involved previous Black tenants in the neighborhood.
'When she looked at her phone, she started to explain that there were previous Black tenants in the neighborhood and that they had caused a lot of trouble,' Olaso said.
The couple has now taken legal action against Douglas Elliman Realty, Tzelios and several individuals listed as owners of the property.
Their attorney, Kenneth Mollins, believes the exchange raises questions about whether the alleged discrimination went beyond the agent herself.
He argued that the wording of the message suggested the intended recipient would have understood why the couple's race was being mentioned.
'Unless the person receiving the text gets it in some context to know why she's sending that. So, we believe the homeowner was in some way responsible here,' Mollins said.
Douglas Elliman has since confirmed that Tzelios is no longer with the company, while condemning discrimination of any kind in a statement to the Daily Mail.
'Douglas Elliman has a zero-tolerance policy for discrimination of any kind. The agent is no longer with the company,' the statement said.
The couple has since sued the broker, identified as Helen Tzelios, real estate giant Douglas Elliman and several property owners over the encounter.
However, such discrimination may result in significant consequences. The Fair Housing Act imposes serious civil penalties on realtors, including federal lawsuits and license suspension.
The act prevents discrimination based on race, color, sex, national origin, religion, disability, or familial status.
Christopher said the experience was particularly painful because the agent appeared to have judged them without knowing anything about who they were.
'It's like judging a book by its cover. You haven't even read the book, and you already made a judgement call,' he said.
Olaso said Tzelios tried to apologize, but said the damage had already been done.
'It doesn't change the pain. It doesn't take away the pain that you caused us that day,' she added.
The Daily Mail reached out to Tzelios for comment but did not immediately hear back.
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