San Francisco district attorney is investigating lawsuits against Chinatown merchants

(Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

By Sri Ravipati

(SAN FRANCISCO) The San Francisco District Attorney's Office is investigating over a thousand potentially fraudulent lawsuits and demand letters targeting Chinatown merchants, KPIX 5 reports.

The lawsuits allege that the older buildings do not accommodate disabled customers up to the standards of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

On Wednesday, District Attorney Chesa Boudin addressed the lawsuits at the Chinese Chamber of Commerce, noting that these structural issues are commonplace around the city but most of the complaints are against Chinese-owned businesses.

Over the last few weeks, Boudin's office has received 1,156 cases filed against Chinese-owned businesses. Some businesses in Chinatown and on Irving Street are getting letters demanding $75,000 backed by the threat of a federal lawsuit for noncompliance.

KPIX 5 reported the source of the lawsuits is Orlando Garcia of San Diego, who has filed thousands of cases.

Boudin says the fake lawsuits are a ploy to target Chinese merchants who don’t speak English.

“They are exploited and extorting small businesses,” Boudin said at the briefing, per KPIX 5. “Not to vindicate the critical rights or inclusion of the disabled, but rather to shake down and extort those who are already suffering in the wake of a horrific pandemic and a wave of anti-Asian and anti-Chinese hate across this country.”

Boudin's office is gathering information for a potential criminal investigation against these abuses of the legal system. However, due to a loophole in state and federal disability law that allows for these serial lawsuits, these cases are usually dragged out every time.

In the meantime, Boudin's office launched a hotline at 628-652-4311 to encourage business owners to report such lawsuits and demands.

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