Two Attorneys Convicted in Louisiana Staged Accident Scam Vanessa Motta and Jason Giles were found guilty of multiple charges related to a Louisiana staged accident scam, according to the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Louisiana. The jury deliberated for about six hours after closing arguments concluded on Thursday. The case was heard in the U.S. Eastern District of Louisiana, where the pair was remanded to federal custody following the verdicts. Local news reports described chaotic scenes in the courtroom after the verdicts were read, including emotional reactions from Motta’s family and security interventions. Motta was convicted of mail fraud, wire fraud, two counts of mail fraud, obstruction of justice, and witness tampering. Giles faced similar charges, as did his employer, the King Firm. These charges align with those previously brought against other individuals in the case, many of whom pleaded guilty to avoid trial. The Motta/Giles trial was the first in the ongoing investigation, with most other cases either unresolved or involving guilty pleas from over 40 individuals. The U.S. Attorney stated that Operation Sideswipe, the investigation into the scam, has charged 63 people in total. Daiminike Stalbert, a co-conspirator, was acquitted of conspiracy charges but found guilty of making false statements to federal agents. Sentencing dates were set for Motta on July 7, Giles and the King Firm a week later, and Stalbert a week after that. The charges carry severe penalties, including up to 20 years in prison for mail fraud and wire fraud, 10 years for obstruction of justice, and significant financial penalties such as restitution. The trial spanned three weeks, including jury selection, and featured testimony from federal prosecutors.#vanessa_motta #jason_giles #king_firm #operation_sideswipe #us_attorney_eastern_district_of_louisiana
"Highway Robbery": Personal Injury Attorneys Convicted in Staged Crash Scheme NEW ORLEANS — A federal jury has convicted personal injury attorneys Vanessa Motta and Jason Giles on all charges related to a scheme involving staged collisions with 18-wheelers, according to a case first uncovered by WWL Louisiana. The trial, which concluded just over two weeks ago, revealed that the attorneys paid individuals to intentionally crash into tractor-trailers to file lawsuits and secure larger settlements. A third defendant, Diaminike Stalbert, was found guilty of making false statements but was cleared of a conspiracy charge. Prosecutors alleged that Motta and Giles orchestrated a scheme where so-called “slammers” were recruited to stage crashes, enabling the attorneys to exploit legal loopholes and maximize financial gains. The attorneys admitted the existence of the scheme but claimed they were unaware of its full extent. The convictions included charges of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, multiple mail fraud counts, obstruction of justice, and witness tampering for Motta and her law firm. Testimony during the trial included accounts from individuals who participated in the scheme. Damian Labeaud and Ryan Harris, referred to as “slammers,” described being paid to stage collisions. Danny Patrick Keating Jr., who pleaded guilty and testified against the defendants, and disbarred attorney Sean Alfortish, a former magistrate, also provided critical evidence. An FBI special agent and a lawyer familiar with the scheme were among the witnesses. Leon “Chunky” Parker and Cornelius Garrison III, another slammer who had been cooperating with the FBI before his 2020 murder, were central to the case. Prosecutors noted that Garrison’s death temporarily slowed the pace of indictments.#vanessa_motta #jason_giles #diaminike_stalbert #operation_sideswipe #wwl_louisiana
