A federal indictment has unveiled a sprawling scheme involving New Orleans law firms accused of staging accidents with 18-wheelers to defraud insurance companies, collecting millions in fraudulent settlements.
The scheme, nicknamed "Operation Sideswipe," began gaining attention in 2018 after suspiciously frequent car accident claims emerged in New Orleans East, raising red flags for trucking companies and insurers, WWL-TV reported.
Federal investigators revealed that participants, dubbed "slammers," intentionally staged collisions with 18-wheelers, and the involved attorneys pursued fraudulent lawsuits for significant payouts.
Over time, 49 out of 52 defendants pleaded guilty, with some undergoing unnecessary surgeries to inflate settlement claims.
The case escalated when a cooperating federal witness, Cornelius Garrison, was murdered in 2020, allegedly to silence him.
The latest indictment names two prominent law firms—The King Firm and Vanessa Motta LLC—and attorneys Jason Giles and Vanessa Motta, along with her fiancé Sean Alfortish, a disbarred lawyer.
They are accused of orchestrating the fraud by recruiting participants, filing bogus injury claims, and obstructing justice.
On December 4, federal agents executed warrants at the couple's Lake Vista home.
Giles, Motta, and Alfortish face multiple charges, including conspiracy, mail and wire fraud, and witness tampering, with Motta maintaining her innocence.
The staged wrecks have already led to higher auto insurance premiums for Louisiana residents, estimated at an additional $600 annually per driver.
The case is scheduled to go to trial in January 2025.
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