Hot banker Debrahlee Lorenzana files human rights complaint against Citibank

A WOMAN who claims she was fired for being too attractive starts a new war with banking giant.

Debrahlee Lorenzana, 33, who says she was fired from her banking job after complaining that male colleagues called her curvaceous figure distracting, and her attorney Gloria Allred / AP

A WOMAN who says she was fired from her banking job after male colleagues called her good looks "distracting" has asked human rights officials to investigate her case.

Debrahlee Lorenzana, 33, filed a complaint against banking powerhouse Citibank overnight with the state Division of Human Rights in New York.

A tearful Ms Lorenzana read a prepared statement explaining why she was a victim of sex discrimination.

In the statement, Ms Lorenzana claimed that she was not properly trained and that she was "a target" for her colleagues. She said she was a victim of sex discrimination and punished for speaking up.

Video: Watch Debrahlee Lorenzana in action here

Ms Lorenzana's lawyer, Gloria Allred said, no woman “should have to suffer what Debrahlee has had to endure”.

"And we are here to let Citibank know that we will fight back against this financial giant and we will win," she said.

Citibank’s Natalie Riper maintained Ms Lorenzana was fired for poor job performance. The bank said it was confident it would prevail in the legal fight.

"Unlike Ms Lorenzana, Citibank does not intend to try this case in the media and we reiterate that her termination was based on poor performance,” Ms Riper said.

"Although we can't speak to her previous attention-seeking activities, her current attempts to gain personal publicity are as transparent as her legal claims. We remain confident that when all of the facts and documentation are presented, the claim will be dismissed."

Ongoing case

Ms Lorenzana has previously filed a suit against Citibank alleging that she was criticised by management for the way she dressed.

She claimed that management indicated that she was too beautiful and had breasts too large for the clothes she was wearing.

She had worked as a personal banker at two Citibank branches until she was fired in 2009.

Ms Lorenzana, who had previously appeared in a documentary stating that she wanted breasts "like a Playboy Playmate", said she was taking action for herself and to make sure other women did not suffer from discrimination. 

"If I wanted a career in the star industry, I would not have gone to get my licenses as an investment banker," Ms Lorenzana said.

"With that show, I was very young, and I was directed by the director of the show on how they wanted it to be done.

"Now I learned my lesson, especially with media and TV."

Ms Lorenzana also said she got cosmetic surgery because she wanted her body to look as it did before she gave birth to a son.

"There's nothing wrong with that," she said.

"There are millions of women out there - that's their thing."

Ms Lorenzana now works at a JPMorgan Chase bank branch in Brooklyn.

- With AP and myFOXny.com