Flamin' Hot Cheetos on display in a case
Richard Montañez said in a lawsuit that he proposed the idea for Flamin' Hot Cheetos while working as a janitor.
  • A former PepsiCo exec sued the company for fraud and defamation after it said he didn't invent Flamin' Hot Cheetos.
  • Richard Montañez said he proposed the idea while working as a janitor and ultimately rose through the company's ranks.
  • But PepsiCo told The LA Times in 2021 that "the facts do not support the urban legend."

A former executive at PepsiCo has sued the company, claiming he should get credit for being the brains behind Flamin' Hot Cheetos.