Americans with Disabilities Act, Fraudulent Lawsuits Filed Against Two – One’s an Attorney
RIVERSIDE – Two men – one who is an attorney – have been charged with filing fraudulent ‘American with Disabilities Act’ lawsuits. The District Attorney’s Office reported that these serious actions were filed against “small business owners in Riverside County pertaining to alleged violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and conspiring to deceive involved parties during the litigation of those lawsuits.”
Ross Christopher Cornell, DOB: 12-12-74, of Big Bear, (an attorney in California since 2000,) and Bryan Eduardo Estrada, DOB: 12-27-94, of Homeland, were arrested the morning of March 10th. Their six felony charges include conspiracy and filing a false document.
It was found that the defendants filed more than 60 lawsuits against individuals and small businesses in Riverside County – alleging that they were in violation of the ADA. The investigation showed that the defendants had specifically targeted the small businesses they sued as well as making misrepresentations in the legal documents they filed.
Since 2019, to – obtain monetary settlements – Estrada claimed to have been denied access to the businesses they sued.
The Riverside County District Attorney’s (DA) Office wants you to know that similar fraudulent lawsuits alleging ADA violations have been going on for years. The DA supports accessibility rights for disabled persons but strongly maintains that ADA laws should not be manipulated solely for financial benefit as alleged in this case.
Anyone with information about Case RIF2201190, (being prosecuted by Deputy District Attorney Timothy Brown of the DA’s Felony Prosecution Unit) is asked to contact DA Senior Investigator John Gubernat at johngubernat@rivcoda.org. (Please include your name and telephone number.)
