A former Saks Fifth Avenue wardrobe stylist who was busted after allegedly stealing more than $400,000 is suing Saks for a “vindictive and unlawful scheme to destroy” his reputation.

Suhail Kwatra, 43, who has been known around the region for outfitting socialites, has turned around his criminal complaint out of Boston Municipal Court — claiming that the $400,000 scam at the Pru Saks was fabricated.

“This case arises from a calculated campaign by a global luxury retailer to punish and silence one of its most valuable employees after he dared to explore other professional opportunities,” Kwatra’s attorneys wrote in the civil lawsuit filed Tuesday in Suffolk Superior Court.

Last month, Kwatra was accused of making numerous fraudulent refunds at the Back Bay Saks store. He had been working for the luxury store for 20 years.

Saks’ internal investigation revealed he had processed fake merchandise refunds on three recent occasions: Sept. 19, Sept. 21, and Nov. 3. Kwatra allegedly stole more than $11,700 in those three instances.

The Saks investigators gave Boston Police a reported copy of a handwritten letter from Kwatra during their separation meeting with him.

“In that letter, Kwatra stated that he apologized for his actions and that the total loss was approximately $429,400,” the criminal complaint reads. “This included fraudulent refunds, mismanagement of ‘Promo Cards,’ giving unpaid merchandise to clients, and abuse of the company ‘Corporate Card.’ ”

On the letter, the loss was separated by category: $375,000 in fraudulent returns; $50,000 in mismanagement of promo cards; $3,400 in given unpaid merchandise; and $1,000 from abusing the corporate card.

But now, Kwatra has responded with a civil lawsuit against Saks.

“When Saks learned that Kwatra was considering an opportunity with a competing luxury retailer—and when he declined to accept a retention bonus without assurances about his future global role— Saks responded not with negotiation, but with retaliation,” the lawsuit reads.

“Saks launched a vindictive and unlawful scheme to destroy Kwatra’s reputation, coerce him into signing false and unenforceable documents, and ensure that he could not take his talents, clients, or relationships elsewhere,” the suit states. “Acting under the guise of ‘asset protection,’ Saks intimidated and confined Kwatra, extracted a false statement and forced him to sign a promissory note for nearly half a million dollars—an amount Saks knew was not owed.

“Saks then weaponized and mischaracterized those documents as an admission to criminal conduct in order to wrongfully terminate Kwatra, sabotage his job offer with a competitor, and defame him publicly.”

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Boston Saks fashionista Suhail Kwatra busted after allegedly stealing $429,000, making fraudulent returns

Saks did not immediately respond to comment.