REGULATORY · USA
Federal jury convicts New Orleans attorneys in staged-collision scheme
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A federal jury convicted New Orleans attorneys Jason Giles and Vanessa Motta and convicted their law firms of fraud, obstruction of justice, and witness tampering in a scheme to stage tractor-trailer collisions and collect settlement payouts.
Why it matters
A federal jury found Jason Giles and Vanessa Motta guilty of fraud, obstruction of justice, and witness tampering; their law firms were convicted of related charges. A third defendant, Diaminike Stalbert, was convicted of making false statements and acquitted of a conspiracy charge. Prosecutors presented testimony that Giles and Motta paid so-called slammers to intentionally crash into tractor-trailers and then file lawsuits to seek larger settlement payouts. Testimony and arguments ran nearly three weeks in the courtroom of US District Judge Wendy Vitter. The case record includes the 2020 murder of cooperating slammer Cornelius Garrison III and related pending trials.
Implications
- · Estimated increase in car-insurance costs for Louisiana drivers of at least $600 per driver annually linked to staged-accident fraud.
- · Related criminal proceedings continue, including scheduled trials tied to the 2020 murder of a cooperating witness.
Who is affected
- · Personal-injury attorneys
- · Law firms handling personal-injury cases
- · Car insurers in Louisiana
- · Drivers in Louisiana
What to watch
- · Trials of two men, including Sean Alfortish, scheduled in connection with the 2020 murder of cooperating witness Cornelius Garrison III
Source
Topics
World & Politics Corruption & Accountability Law & Public Safety Court Rulings Criminal Justice