Born on San Antonio’s West Side, Pastor and Former City Council Candidate Exposes Frost Bank Retaliation in Landmark Lawsuit

San Antonio, Texas – Pastor Saul Santos Jr., born and raised on San Antonio’s West Side and a former City Council candidate, has filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against Cullen/Frost Bankers, Inc. d/b/a Frost Bank (Case No. 5:25-CV-00717-FB-RBF). The lawsuit alleges systemic discrimination, harassment, retaliation, and FMLA violations at one of Texas’s oldest banks.

Santos, a father of four and longtime community leader, worked at Frost for nearly five years. He says the harassment began in 2019, continued through repeated HR complaints, and culminated in his termination in January 2024. Despite a strong record — missing only 24 days in five years — he was targeted after speaking up about discrimination and requesting FMLA medical leave.

Court filings reveal:

• A June 2023 HR complaint followed by retaliation and reassignment.
• Silencing and intimidation: Assistant Vice President Jeffrey Jordan told Santos, “Don’t talk and explain how right you were. Don’t blame. Don’t excuse,” before placing him in a false mentorship program.
• FMLA interference, including Frost recording a confidential health meeting and using it against him.
• Shifting termination reasons, with Frost citing attendance, performance, and medical issues at different times.
• Leadership involvement, including a lunch with former CEO Pat Frost, who asked invasive questions about Santos’s race, religion, family, and the immigration status of people at his church — pressing him on what he was doing about it — shortly before Santos was terminated.

“These aren’t just my words — these are Frost Bank’s own documents,” said Santos. “I endured harassment since 2019, and when I stood up for myself and my family, Frost punished me instead of fixing the problem. The truth is I was silenced, retaliated against, and then fired. And when I fought back, Frost Bank changed its story again and again.”

The lawsuit seeks damages and accountability under Title VII, ADA, FMLA, ADEA, 42 U.S.C. § 1981, and Texas state law.

“This case is bigger than me,” Santos added. “It’s about exposing a culture of silence and retaliation at Frost Bank. If they can do this to me, they can do it to anyone.”