Arik Matatov deceived tens of thousands of dollars at Manhattan stores

A resident of the United States robbed dozens of shops because he could not get into their premises in a wheelchair. He threatened to sue them if he was not given compensation, and if he was not given money, he filed giant lawsuits. The fact that the guy turned out to be a swindler turned out to be accidental, when journalists knocked on the door at his very wrong time.

24-year-old American Arik Matov, who was walking around the city in a wheelchair, found shops that it was difficult for him to get on his vehicle, and arranged a scandal involving their management, writes Medialeaks. He demanded that the owners of the outlets apologize and 50 thousands of dollars, otherwise threatening to file a lawsuit already in the millions. Dozens of institutions throughout Manhattan received such threats from him.

It is not known how long this would continue, but the New York Post journalists didn’t pay a visit to Arik.

Reporters called the "invalid" at the door, and Arik himself, who was standing firmly on his feet, opened the door. When the man was asked if he was moving in a wheelchair, he demanded not to take any photos and slammed the door. A few minutes later he left the house and went to the Lexus standing nearby, in which a friend was waiting for him.

Photos: Facebook

Reporters went for the car, which stopped near the Jewish center. There, Arik again got out of the car on his own, only with a white cane in his hand, like those with whom the blind go, and went to the center, supported by his friend by the elbow.

The lawyer who helped draw up more than 50 claims for the falsely disabled person said that he had no idea about his client’s physical health, and in general “doesn’t even know him personally.”

“Matatov said that he usually needs a wheelchair, but did not specify when exactly he needed it. I had no reason to ask anything from a person in a wheelchair, you know?”

The human rights activist assured journalists that he was not engaged in fake lawsuits and would definitely understand this situation. How many businessmen succumbed to the threat of a fraudster and how much money he was given was not disclosed.

Post reporters took just one photo of Arik. Medialeaks found his Facebook page. It looks abandoned for a long time, but in the surviving photographs Arik is also standing on his own feet (the page has now been deleted - editor's note).

Arik's exposure led to a scandal in the business community of Manhattan. The lawyers who defended the shops, for which the fake disabled person sued, were especially indignant. But business owners were not surprised.

“This is a scam, and we knew it when we got the first letter,” said Barbara Di Palo, whose family restaurant received threats from Arik a couple of months ago. It costs $5000 to hire a lawyer and they think you'll just give them money. I'm glad you exposed him and hope people like this stop harassing small businesses."

Photos: Facebook

An employee of a clothing store, whom Arik threatened with a lawsuit for a too narrow ramp, hopes that the fraudster will get what he deserves.

“These people should be held accountable for causing harm to businesses without justification. And this lawyer should be banned from practicing law.”

A spokesperson for the Alliance for Judicial Reform in New York said the case was a mockery of the legal profession and the civil justice system.

“The New York Attorney General and the Department of Justice should closely monitor such serial lawsuits—in both state and federal courts—and the attorneys who represent them.”

The representative of the Alliance did not just say about serial claims. According to the newspaper, in New York there was already a case where a person who imitated paralysis, filed dozens of lawsuits against businessmen. He got stupid when it turned out at one of the courts that he did not even know the name of the disease he was depicting.

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