New Orleans Lawyers Convicted in Multi-Year Staged-Crash Insurance Fraud

Key Details Two New Orleans attorneys face prison time after a federal jury convicted them of orchestrating an elaborate staged-crash scheme spanning from December 2011 to December 2024. Vanessa Motta, 44, and Jason F. Giles, 47, along with their law firms (Motta Law and The King Firm), were found guilty on all charges including conspiracy, mail and wire fraud, obstruction of justice, and witness tampering. How the Scam Worked The operation involved recruiting passengers in regular vehicles to deliberately collide with tractor-trailers, targeting trucks because of their substantial insurance coverage limits. After staged crashes, the attorneys litigated claims and allegedly pressured injured parties into unnecessary neck and back surgeries to inflate medical costs and increase settlement amounts. The scheme employed "slammers" (drivers who caused collisions), "spotters" (getaway drivers), and "recruiters" (participant sourcing). Why It Matters Prosecutors estimate the defendants defrauded insurance companies and trucking carriers of millions of dollars. The scheme directly impacted truckers through fraudulent claims and increased insurance costs affecting the entire industry. A third defendant, recruiter Diaminike Stalbert, 35, was also convicted of making false statements to federal agents. Industry Response The American Trucking Associations welcomed the convictions, recognizing the verdict as accountability for criminals exploiting the judicial system and the transportation sector.