A federal court scheduled jury selection Monday in New Orleans for Sean Alfortish. Prosecutors accuse the disbarred attorney of conspiring to kill cooperating witness Cornelius Garrison. The indictment connects that homicide to a sprawling scheme involving purposeful collisions with 18-wheelers. He pleaded not guilty.
The indictment identifies Garrison as a “slammer” who intentionally sideswiped commercial vehicles. He later began cooperating with the FBI during its investigation. Someone fatally shot him at his mother’s home on Sept. 22, 2020. Authorities charged Alfortish and Leon Parker with causing the witness’s death through a firearm.
Prosecutors link killing to staged crashes
Alfortish faces one fraud-conspiracy count, three obstruction charges and four witness-tampering accusations. Prosecutors also charged him with conspiracy to commit murder. Another count accuses both men of causing Garrison’s death through a firearm. That offense carries potential life imprisonment and a $250,000 fine.
Prosecutors claim Alfortish tried to move Garrison to the Bahamas before the shooting. Ryan Harris pleaded guilty in January 2025 to causing death through a firearm. His agreement also covered wire fraud plus a mail-and-wire conspiracy. Authorities previously identified him as a participant in collision staging.
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.
Ex-CBP officer used emoji code to let 477 kilos of Sinaloa Cartel drugs cross – FreightWaves
CBP finds $1.17M in cocaine after inspecting bell pepper truck at Texas border – FreightWaves
Stolen trailer investigation leads police to nearly $800K in cargo and vehicles – FreightWaves
