San Francisco DA launches probe into doable ADA lawsuit fraud in Chinatown | Bay Space

The San Francisco Prosecutor announced Wednesday that it is opening an investigation into allegations whether traders in Chinatown have been targeted as victims of possible unlawful lawsuits.

District Attorney Chesa Boudin said he made the announcement after reports that attorneys were filing potentially fraudulent lawsuits under the Americans with Disabilities Act to blackmail small businesses into paying. He attended a town hall meeting in Chinatown on Wednesday to hear concerns from local traders.

“We will not tolerate the exploitation of the Chinese community or any business owners,” Boudin said in a press release. “We know that Chinese merchants are no more likely to violate the ADA than any other business owner, and we take these allegations very seriously. We encourage anyone who believes they have been attacked fraudulently to contact our office when we begin our investigation. “

The investigation was welcomed by local vendors and disability rights leaders.

“These types of lawsuits are very annoying and do nothing to improve accessibility for the disabled community,” said Sascha Bittner, a commissioner for San Francisco Disability and Aging Services. “It is particularly annoying that these lawsuits are being brought against the Chinese community as companies are reopening after the pandemic and this community has already been so severely discriminated against.”

Boudin encouraged anyone who believes they may have been a victim of fraud to contact the prosecutor’s consumer protection and fraud hotline at (628) 652-4311.