In a startling fraud plot in New Orleans, investigators charge eight people in a network of faked collisions, false claims, and even murder.#News #Louisiana #Crime #New Orleans, Louisiana
Louisiana’s New OrleansEight people and two legal firms in the New Orleans, Louisiana, area have been charged with crimes related to a significant fraud scheme that involved staged car accidents, fabricated insurance claims, and a startling murder. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Louisiana revealed the allegations, which expose a convoluted conspiracy that includes unlawful actions intended to defraud insurance companies and lasted for more than ten years. The death of a crucial witness, which was purportedly done to stop more revelations, has brought the case a lot of attention.
The Charges and Defendants
Ryan J. Harris, 36, also known as Red; Sean D. Alfortish, 57; Jason F. Giles, 45; Leon M. Parker, 51, also known as Chunky; Diaminike F. Stalbert, 34; Carl Morgan, 66; Timara N. Lawrence, 34; Vanessa Motta, 43; and the law firms Motta Law and The King Firm are named in a 10-count superseding indictment released by federal prosecutors on December 10, 2024.
The defendants are all accused of conspiring to commit wire fraud and mail fraud. Alfortish, Motta, Motta Law, Giles, and The King Firm are also accused of witness tampering and obstruction of justice. Additionally, Stalbert is charged with lying. Harris is also accused of witness tampering and killing co-conspirator Cornelius Garrison, who was reportedly killed to stop him from disclosing the plan.
The Staged Collisions and Fraudulent Claims
The conspiracy’s methods are described in the indictment. The U.S. Attorney’s Office claims that a group of slammers collided with commercial vehicles, notably big 18-wheel tractor-trailers, with the goal to cause collisions. Passengers would pretend they were driving at the moment of the collision because they knew they were taking part in fictitious collisions. In order to assist the slammers in escaping the crash scenes, spotters—who were also involved in the plan—driven getaway automobiles.
After that, the insurance companies received the bogus claims, and lawsuits were brought to get the money back. It is thought that the scam began as early as December 2011 and persisted until the most recent accusations. The indictment describes a concerted attempt over a number of years to take advantage of the insurance system.
The Murder of Witness Cornelius Garrison
The murder of Cornelius Garrison, a fraud scheme participant who started working with federal authorities in 2019, gave the case a darker twist. Garrison contributed significantly to the operation as a spotter and a slammer, but his choice to help the authorities resulted in a lethal act of reprisal.
The fraud’s alleged mastermind, Ryan J. Harris, is accused of killing Garrison in September 2020. According to the prosecution, Harris killed Garrison to prevent him from giving investigators important details about the fraud scheme. Harris is accused of witness tampering and retribution in addition to the murder charge, which is explicitly connected to his attempts to shield the fraudulent scheme.
A Broader Investigation
The December 10 charge is a component of a broader investigation involving staged car crashes in the New Orleans region. The fact that 63 people have been charged so far in relation to the scam highlights how widespread the conspiracy is. The U.S. Attorney’s Office has stated that further charges may be pending and that the investigation is still underway.
CONNECTED TOPICS: Louisiana Crime
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