A downtown Los Angeles law firm is being accused of paying people to file sex abuse claims against Los Angeles County that resulted in a landmark $4 billion settlement.
Downtown L.A. Law Group, who represented close to a quarter of the 11,000 victims covered in the settlement vehemently denies the allegations.
We do not pay our clients to file lawsuits, and we strongly oppose such actions. If we ever became aware that anyone associated with us, in any capacity, did such a thing — we would end our relationship with them immediately. We want justice for real victims.”
Downtown L.A. Law Group
The firms social media accounts are plastered with photos of clients holding checks emblazoned with the words “HAPPY CLIENT” as the payee and feature advertisements seeking clients related to sex abuse in the County facilities named in the lawsuit.
The allegations were uncovered by a years long investigation led by the Los Angeles Times.
The Times spent two weeks outside the county social services office in South Los Angeles, where a constant flow of people applied for food stamps and cash aid, and spoke with seven people who said they were paid there within the last year to sue the county for sex abuse.
Most said they were abused inside the county’s juvenile halls, but had not planned to sue until they were flagged down on the sidewalk and offered cash. Two people said they were told to fabricate stories of abuse.
The Times published the names of many of the individuals who alleged they were paid cash to fabricate claims against the six County departments attached to the lawsuit.
According to the Times, the law firm declined to answer questions about how the people who said they were paid to sue ended up with the law firm.
One individual said they were explicitly told what to say.
Read the full LA Times article here.