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ARTICLE · 26 MARCH 2026

Personal Injury Attorneys Convicted In Staged Accident Case

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A federal jury has convicted New Orleans personal injury attorneys Vanessa Motta and Jason Giles for orchestrating a years‑long scheme that staged car crashes with 18‑wheelers to obtain fraudulent insurance payouts.

United StatesLitigation, Mediation & Arbitration
Michael W. Magner
Michael W. Magner

A federal jury has convicted New Orleans personal injury attorneys Vanessa Motta and Jason Giles for orchestrating a years‑long scheme that staged car crashes with 18‑wheelers to obtain fraudulent insurance payouts.

I spoke with The New Orleans Advocate about the potential sentences the two attorneys, Jason Giles and Vanessa Motta, are facing. Due to the scope of the fraud, the amount in controversy, and sophistication of the scheme, the two may be looking at 15–20-year prison sentence.

The case gained a lot of notoriety for many reasons, including the murder of the Government's principal informant. You can read more in the article below.

Based on an estimate of about $10 million in alleged fraud, Magner said the federal sentencing guidelines for a first offender run 188 to 235 months. Vitter can veer above or below that range. Magner said he expected both of the convicted lawyers to receive sentences of at least 10 years. "She will no doubt consider the potential for serious

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