Cash for Compliance?

Transcript

[Music] I have it on tape David and the cont that man has sued hundreds of Valley businesses this year and you can see obviously he has had enough of our questions yeah he's not having it anymore tonight ABC 15's day biscobing continues to investigate a flood of disability lawsuits sweeping the valley if you missed part one of our investigation here's a quick rundown that man is with this group advocates for individuals with disabilities or Aid they have teams cruising parking lots across the valley looking at disability access whether it's not enough spaces or a sign too low they will sue and demand thousands to settle their methods are controversial raise questions and we found not all their answers add up this is aidar plaintiff David ritzen thalor obviously I didn't get up to greet you it's not easy to get up and out of my chair he says he had hip surgery last year how do you get around as a cane as well I hope it's with a cane bad days I'm in a wheelchair and he's filed so many lawsuits this year either didn't know the number or didn't want to tell us I believe about 160 yeah 160 yeah it's not 160 that's not even close okay it's 530 in fact he signed everyone under the penalty of perjury I'm estimating mhm he's a committed individual Peter styck is the lawyer who's filing lawsuits for David ritzen Taylor and Aid our method is good and proper and ethical to help prove his point he repeatedly tried telling us they don't Sue mom and pop businesses we Sue Law Breakers we don't Sue Mom and Pop That is a totally false statement Lisa Chrisman runs a small children's clothing shop with the help of her own mom who also has a disability four generations have helped in this store for Lisa there was no notice no idea she was going to be sued until a man walked up to her front desk and handed her a lawsuit I did this so stretch for cash a few weeks ago Lisa made her own stencil repainted fixed issues herself I don't have the money there's a lot of Mom and Pops that are scraping by well you're suing mom and pop shops let me talk about no I'm not suing M and oh I've I've I've seen the cases out you C you certainly are time out counselor settlements usually range between 3 and 7,000 multiplied by hundreds soon to be thousands of cases that's millions of dollars sty claims he donates everything to Aid you're taking Z see how many zero what about his client d riten Taylor at first he claimed I get not a scent does he get paid anything for this yes how come your lawyer said he gives you money they do not give me money either $100 or 75 goes to Ritz and haer do the math 100 a case 530 cases that's more than 50,000 for simply signing his name Rich andlor eventually said he donates two but not to Aid to a different charity he runs total Life Ministries but still doesn't get a scent so how come you didn't tell me that you're taking money and putting into a 501c3 before because I didn't know how technical you were going to ask me of questions but tax records for total life ministri show as CEO he can certainly pay himself that money and has paid himself a salary in the past yeah that's why we went to pay him another visit well you said you don't make a dime from it but you pay yourself a salary out of it I no I didn't say that you have things a little screwed up David also one other thing uh how long you been walking without a cane whenever I get a chance if it's a few feet I don't walk more than about in fact I don't have it in this one I car cane in the car with me just because but not today I don't have it in here today cuz I just expected to walk it appears this day he also didn't have a disability placard or license plate actually any license plate but riten Taylor and his lawyers say under the law he is physically disabled remember that's something he emphasized to us here Kan by his side obviously I didn't get up to greet you but we went Undercover here he is the same day of that interview here he is again a week later and here a month before that interview you told us you hope you'd be able to get around just with a cane never without a cane have you exaggerated say I hope it's with a cane bad days I'm in a wheelchair I have it on tape David and the one more thing about Mr Ritz and failor he's no longer putting his name on lawsuits but that doesn't mean he's not involved he says he's now a director for Aid so we asked if he'd be taking a salary he told us he doesn't know he doesn't make those decisions and as for Aid they're not filing lawsuits without a person listing itself the organization as the victim and as of right now they're up to more than 1,000 lawsuits across the valley I'm investigator Dave biscobing abc5 news wow just incredible work there done by our investigators yeah and just a reminder too for businesses out there we do have a special website here with the specific things you need to know to get your parking lots in compliance you can pick your jaws up and then go to abc15.com law suits keep an eye out Dave will have more stories coming at you next week