SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. (KRON) - The San Francisco District Attorney is investigating potentially fraudulent lawsuits targeting Chinatown merchants.
These lawsuits were launched on the grounds that the older buildings are not up to the legal code for accommodating disabled customers.
Speaking at the Chinese Chamber of Commerce on Wednesday, SFDA Chesa Boudin said the tragic reality is that these structural issues are found all across San Francisco but most of the complaints are being filed against Chinese-owned businesses.
People have been possibly filing illegitimate lawsuits against business owners in Chinatown under the guise of championing rights for the disabled, according to San Francisco District Attorney Chesa Boudin.
Despite the fact that the older buildings fail to meet the legal standards of the Americans with Disabilities Act, Boudin believes this is really a ploy to target Chinese merchants who don't speak English.
"They're easier targets for extortion and shake down, and that is precisely why we are stepping in to stand up and stand in partnership with our Chinese business leaders, with our disability leaders, to say enough is enough," Boudin said.
Boudin says although the issue is citywide, the sheer volume of lawsuits launched in Chinatown specifically gives him reason to believe this may be a sinister attempt to extort them, with at times up to $75,000 in demands.
"It is often cheaper to settle the case and pay the shake down fee than litigate and vindicate your rights or to violate the ADA violations to remedy the issue," Boudin said.
He admits this isn't a new problem but worries merchants who luckily made it through the pandemic will be forced to shut down permanently if the plaintiffs get paid out.
Boudin proposes that local and state legislation help mom and pop shops with permitting, inspection, and the time it takes to fix structural issues to comply with the ADA Act instead.
Boudin says these lawsuits do not serve the disability community one slightest bit.
So among other things, he launched a fraud hotline and email to encourage business owners to report any of these types of demands to his office.
Anyone who believes they have been victimized by fraud should reach out to the District Attorney’s Consumer Protection and Fraud hotline at 628-652-4311.
from KRON4 https://ift.tt/3rpD7Iy
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