Personal Injury Attorneys Convicted in Staged Collision Fraud Scheme Personal injury attorneys Jason Giles and Vanessa Motta were found guilty Friday on all counts in a federal trial over a fraudulent scheme involving pre-planned collisions with 18-wheelers and fabricated injury claims. The verdict, delivered in a packed New Orleans courtroom, marked the culmination of a two-week trial that exposed a widespread conspiracy involving attorneys, “slammers” (individuals who staged accidents), and insurance fraud. Both defendants were ordered jailed pending sentencing in July, with each facing up to 20 years in federal prison. The jury convicted Giles and Motta on eight charges, including conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, multiple counts of mail fraud, and witness tampering. Their law firms were also found guilty. The case, part of a broader federal investigation dubbed “Operation Sideswipe,” has led to over 50 guilty verdicts to date. Prosecutors argued that the attorneys orchestrated a scheme to profit from fabricated accidents, paying “slammers” to fill cars with passengers and steer them into tractor trailers on New Orleans highways. During the trial, the jury heard testimony from slammer Damian Labeaud, who detailed how he and others were paid $1,000 per adult passenger for staged collisions. Labeaud implicated attorneys at The King Firm, including Giles and Danny Patrick Keating Jr., who had already pleaded guilty. Keating testified about the code words used to coordinate the fraud, such as references to food and fish, which were used to signal the availability of crash victims. Judge Wendy Vitter, who presided over the trial, emphasized that the case was “anything but typical” for its scale and the involvement of professionals.#personal_injury_attorneys #vanessa_motta #jason_giles #the_king_firm #damian_labeaud
Federal Jury Convicts New Orleans Attorneys in Staged 18-Wheeler Crash Fraud Trial A federal jury convicted prominent New Orleans injury attorneys Vanessa Motta and Jason Giles on multiple charges related to an alleged scheme involving staged truck accidents. The verdict, delivered on Friday, found both attorneys guilty of orchestrating fraudulent lawsuits to secure insurance payouts. Following the guilty verdicts, Motta and Giles were remanded to federal custody while awaiting sentencing. Prosecutors alleged that the defendants participated in a scheme where individuals, referred to as “slammers,” intentionally crashed into 18-wheelers to file lawsuits and claim insurance money. The case centered on how Motta and Giles profited from these incidents through their law practices. U.S. District Judge Wendy Vitter announced the verdict after jurors deliberated for over five hours. Giles was convicted of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and wire fraud, mail fraud, obstruction of justice, and witness tampering. Motta faced similar charges, including conspiracy to commit mail fraud and wire fraud, two counts of mail fraud, obstruction of justice, and witness tampering. Other entities, including Stalbert and The King Firm, were also found guilty of various charges, including mail fraud and obstruction of justice. Prosecutors emphasized that the case was not victimless, highlighting that truck drivers who lost their jobs and Louisiana drivers who pay higher insurance rates were among the affected parties. First Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Simpson described the case as an example of lawyers “pushing the boundaries of the code of ethics and the code of responsibility.” The courtroom became emotional after the verdict.#vanessa_motta #jason_giles #wendy_vitter #the_king_firm #stalbert
