Crash for Cash: NOLA Lawyers Guilty

⏱ 3 min read

New Orleans personal injury attorneys Vanessa Motta, 44, and Jason Giles, 47, are facing serious time after a federal jury slammed them with guilty verdicts Friday for orchestrating a decade-long “crash for cash” scheme. Motta’s firm, Motta Law LLC, and Giles’ The King Firm LLC, were also convicted, alongside accomplice Diamanike F. StAlbert, 35, who lied to federal investigators. The scheme, running from December 2011 to December 2024, involved paying ‘slammers’ to recruit passengers for deliberately caused accidents, often targeting 18-wheeler trucks with hefty insurance policies.

The jury found all five defendants guilty of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud. Giles and The King Firm also took the heat for multiple counts of mail fraud and obstruction of justice. Motta and Motta Law were similarly convicted of mail fraud, obstruction, and witness tampering – a clear attempt to cover their tracks and silence anyone getting close to the truth.

Prosecutors laid out evidence demonstrating a systematic effort to manufacture accidents, file bogus claims, and pocket insurance payouts. The scheme wasn’t just about a few fender-benders; it was a sustained, coordinated criminal enterprise fueled by greed and disregard for public safety. StAlbert’s conviction for lying to federal agents confirms attempts to conceal the operation’s inner workings.

Sentencing dates haven’t been set, but with convictions on multiple felony counts, Motta, Giles, and their firms are looking at potentially lengthy prison sentences and significant financial penalties. The investigation, led by the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Department of Justice’s Criminal Division, sends a clear message: exploiting the legal system for personal gain won’t be tolerated.