An investigation has been initiated by the county Board of Supervisors in response to alarming allegations suggesting that some claims within a landmark $4 billion settlement related to sex abuse may have been fabricated.
The Board unanimously directed county attorneys to scrutinize these claims after an investigative report indicated that certain plaintiffs might have been incentivized to file lawsuits against the county, with at least two instances revealing that fabricated claims were involved.
Supervisor Kathryn Barger emphasized the seriousness of the issue in a statement, asserting that fraudulent claims severely undermine both the legitimacy of survivors’ experiences and taxpayers’ interests.
“This motion ensures we are protecting both by holding bad actors accountable while maintaining the integrity of a process designed to deliver justice and healing,” she stated.
The Los Angeles Times brought these concerns to light in a recent article, noting that the plaintiffs raised in these allegations were predominantly represented by the Downtown LA Law Group, which was involved in over 2,700 cases tied to the abuse settlement.
In response to these claims, the law firm has firmly denied any wrongdoing, asserting that there was never any authorization to pay individuals to file lawsuits.
They have taken the allegations seriously and engaged an external company to conduct a comprehensive investigation to determine if any false claims were made.
“The allegations in this story are extremely concerning and describe conduct that is contrary to our firm’s values,” the firm communicated.
A total of seven plaintiffs indicated they were supposedly compensated by
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