DonishA Lee, Mail Fraud, Louisiana 2023

A Harvey woman has been sentenced to 10 months in prison for her role in a staged automobile collision scheme to defraud insurance and trucking companies.

DonishA Lee, 32, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Sarah S. Vance on [no date provided] for Conspiracy to Commit Mail Fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 371, in connection with a staged collision with a tractor-trailer occurring in New Orleans on September 6, 2017.

According to documents filed in federal court, Lee, along with her co-defendants, Dewayne Coleman, Erica Lee Thompson, Aisha Thompson, Passenger A, and another individual, conspired to commit mail fraud in connection with the staged collision.

The defendants contacted the NOPD and falsely claimed that Erica Lee was the driver at the time of the collision. Approximately one or two days after the staged accident, Coleman, Lee, Erica Lee, Thompson, and another individual went to an attorney’s office for the purpose of collecting money from the insurance and trucking company.

The total settlement for the Averitt accident was $30,000. On March 26, 2019, Lee, and two of her co-defendants, provided false testimony in depositions taken in conjunction with the Thompson Lawsuit.

United States Attorney Duane A. Evans announced the sentencing, which also included 3 years of supervised release, 100 hours community service, restitution in the amount of $121,076.75, and a $100.00 special assessment fee.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office would also like to acknowledge the assistance of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Louisiana State Police, and the Metropolitan Crime Commission with this matter.

The prosecution of this case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian M. Klebba, Chief of the Financial Crimes Unit; Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward J. Rivera; Assistant U.S. Attorney Maria Carboni; and Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon Long.

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