Feds Wrap Up Trial of New Orleans Attorneys Accused of Staging Accidents
A federal jury began deliberations Friday following closing arguments in the trial of New Orleans attorneys Vanessa Motta and Jason Giles, accused of staging vehicle accidents for fraudulent injury claims.
The trial revealed a complex scheme where “slammers” allegedly rammed vehicles into 18-wheelers, funneling injured parties to Motta and Giles for bogus claims. Prosecutors noted that around 50 guilty pleas had been secured from various collaborators, indicating multiple layers of the conspiracy.
Testimony cited Giles and Motta as primary orchestrators of the fraud. “The slammers were the beating heart of this conspiracy; the scheme would not have worked without them,” said U.S. Justice Department prosecutor J. Ryan McLaren. The defense claimed Motta and Giles were unaware of the schemes, urging the jury to consider that they were misled by fixers outside the courtroom.
Witnesses included admitted slammers and federal agents, revealing how dozens of staged accidents were carried out. During the trial, the attorneys did not present any witnesses and did not testify themselves. Giles' attorney argued for his client's innocence, stating that the conspiracy was driven by others.
The trial also touched on the murder of slammer Cornelius Garrison, who was previously involved in the scheme. His death in 2020 was described by prosecutors as execution-style, with Motta facing no charges related to this incident.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys presented evidence of communications that suggested a coordinated effort to commit fraud. The jury will now consider the evidence presented over the nearly three-week trial.