Black Panther & Creed Director Ryan Coogler Handcuffed After Bank Staff Thought He Was a Robber

Director Ryan Coogler was briefly put in handcuffs after Bank of America staff in Atlanta believed he was attempting a robbery.

In January, officials detained Coogler following a withdrawal attempt from his account, according to TMZ. The Oscar-nominated 35-year-old filmmaker wore sunglasses and a mask as he handed the bank teller a note that read, “I would like to withdraw $12,000 from my checking account. Please do the money count somewhere else. I’d like to be discreet.” The teller believed the message was suspicious, and called authorities to the scene.

When police arrived, they detained two people waiting for Coogler outside the bank in an SUV, then handcuffed him. The police report on the incident stated that when the teller attempted to make the transaction on her computer, she triggered an alert. That alerted her boss that Coogler was attempting a robbery.

According to Variety, Coogler confirmed the incident and said the issue has been resolved. “This situation should never have happened,” he stated. “However, Bank of America worked with me and addressed it to my satisfaction and we have moved on.”

Authorities quickly realized it was a mistake but Coogler asked for the badge numbers of all the responding officers.