"Every day, some of L.A.'s poorest residents line up outside the county benefits office in South Central, weaving their way through a swarm of salesmen hawking deals that feel too good to be true. Would you like $15 for a quick blood pressure exam? A free phone? Perhaps, $2 for a COVID swab? How about cash to sign up to sue L.A. County for sexual abuse at juvenile halls?"
"Marlon Bland, 31, said he got $200 - half in cash outside the county's social services office and the other half when he went to meet with lawyers from Downtown LA Law Group, or DTLA. The receptionist there handed him a $100 check, he said. DTLA sued the county on his behalf Aug. 23, 2024. Kevin Richardson, 59, whose suit was filed by DTLA on Oct. 15, said he got $50 outside the social services office."
Vendors routinely solicit people waiting at the county social services office in South Central Los Angeles, offering cash, phones, and small payments to recruit plaintiffs for sexual-abuse lawsuits tied to juvenile halls. Recruits were directed toward Downtown LA Law Group, which represented nearly one-quarter of roughly 11,000 plaintiffs in a $4-billion settlement related to abuse in juvenile halls and foster homes. Several individuals reported receiving cash on sidewalks or at meetings with DTLA staff; some said they were told to fabricate abuse stories. Reported payments included $200, $50, and a $100 check handed at a law office.
Read at Los Angeles Times
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