A man named Richard Montañez used to work at a company called Frito-Lay, which makes chips like Cheetos. He says he created a special kind of Cheetos called Flamin' Hot Cheetos. But the company doesn't agree and says someone else made them. Now, Richard is very upset and is taking the company to court. He says they lied about him and it hurt his career. Read from source...

- The article has no sources that corroborate Montañez's claims, only his own statements and lawsuit.
- The article mentions that an internal investigation by the company found no evidence of Montañez's involvement, but does not provide details or sources for this finding.
- The article implies that PepsiCo and Frito-Lay provided false information to the Los Angeles Times, but does not specify what this information was or how it contradicted Montañez's claims.
- The article suggests that the controversy has been a topic of debate for several years, but does not provide any evidence or examples of this debate or its impact on the company or the snack.
- The article reports that Flamin' Hot Cheetos have remained a billion-dollar brand despite the controversy, but does not explain how this relates to Montañez's claims or lawsuit.
- The article does not address the possibility that Montañez's career setbacks may have been caused by factors other than the company's alleged discrediting of his role in the snack's inception.

Neutral
Article's Tone (positive, negative, mixed, sarcastic): Neutral

- Bullish: Cash-rich company with strong balance sheet, potential for growth, and innovative products
- Bearish: Legal disputes, declining revenues, and negative publicity
- Neutral: No direct impact on financial performance