Walmart Inc. and its financial technology partner, Branch Messenger Inc., are facing a lawsuit from the US Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) over allegations that they opened costly and unauthorized bank accounts for delivery drivers. According to a report by Bloomberg, the lawsuit was filed on Monday in a Minnesota federal court.

The CFPB claims that Walmart required drivers in its Spark Driver program to use accounts provided by Branch Messenger to receive payment, threatening termination for non-compliance. The lawsuit alleges that Walmart made false promises, unlawfully opened accounts, and took advantage of over one million delivery drivers.

CFPB Director Rohit Chopra stated, “Walmart made false promises, illegally opened accounts, and took advantage of more than a million delivery drivers,” in response to the lawsuit.

Branch Messenger, which partners with Evolve Bank & Trust to provide deposit accounts and debit card services, has denied the allegations. The company issued a statement asserting that it “stands behind its model and services and will defend this action vigorously.”

The CFPB further claims that drivers were misled regarding access to their earnings. While Walmart advertised immediate access to pay, drivers reportedly faced long delays and significant obstacles in accessing their funds. In some cases, drivers were unable to retrieve their earnings at all.

This lawsuit has drawn additional attention due to the involvement of Evolve Bank & Trust, which was previously connected to Synapse Financial Technologies, a fintech company that declared bankruptcy earlier this year.