Prosecutors say a hit man killed a federal witness tied to staged 18-wheeler crashes

Federal authorities have charged 63 defendants in the broader New Orleans probe. A jury convicted attorneys Vanessa Motta and Jason Giles on March 20 following a three-week trial. Their law firms also received guilty verdicts. Those cases involved staged wrecks, fraudulent lawsuits and insurance payments.

Earlier trial exposed long-running operation

Court documents describe an operation that ran from December 2011 through December 2024. Participants recruited passengers and paid drivers to target 18-wheelers carrying large commercial policies. Lawyers then filed claims seeking payouts for purposeful collisions. Some clients underwent medically unnecessary surgeries to increase settlement values, according to the Justice Department.

WDSU reported that Chief U.S. District Judge Wendy Vitter limited evidence before the proceeding. The court blocked prosecutors from introducing Alfortish’s 2011 conviction. Her ruling permits references to his disbarment. Vitter also excluded Parker’s 2010 arrest but allowed other information involving Harris.

Stephen Waguespack, president of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Institute for Legal Reform, told FreightWaves:

“What happened in New Orleans should be a wake-up call. The trial is a reminder of just how far these criminal enterprises can go: endangering lives, driving up costs for everyday Americans, and hijacking the legal system. Staged collisions targeting trucks put everyone on the road at risk, and the legislation we’ve been supporting would give federal authorities more tools to crack down on these rings before they evolve the way this one did in Louisiana.”

Case renews focus on federal proposal

U.S. Sen. Ashley Moody, R-Fla., introduced the Staged Accident Fraud Prevention Act in July. The proposal would create specific federal penalties for intentionally causing commercial vehicle collisions. Participants could receive up to 20 years in prison. Serious bodily injury or death would trigger a minimum two-decade sentence.

That legislation did not produce the New Orleans prosecution. Investigators began their work years before Moody introduced her bill. Current charges rely on existing fraud, obstruction, witness-tampering and firearm statutes. Reps. Mike Collins, R-Ga., and Brandon Gill, R-Texas, introduced companion legislation in April 2025.

The FBI, New Orleans Police Department and Louisiana State Police investigated the case. Several parish sheriff’s offices and the Metropolitan Crime Commission provided assistance. Federal prosecutors from Louisiana and the Justice Department handle the trial. Prosecutors must prove every charge beyond a reasonable doubt.

Why it matters

The trial shows how staged-crash schemes can expose carriers to fraudulent claims, legal costs and threats against cooperating witnesses. Transportation professionals should follow how investigators connect collision staging, insurance fraud and organized criminal activity.

Click here for more articles on cargo theft and freight fraud by Phil Brink.

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