New Orleans, LA — A former stuntwoman turned lawyer, Vanessa Motta, 43, faces serious legal repercussions as federal prosecutors have charged her in a complex conspiracy involving staged car accidents targeting large commercial trucks. Motta, alongside her fiancé, Sean Alfortish, a disbarred attorney, and others, are accused of intentionally causing collisions around the New Orleans area to fraudulently claim damages.
Authorities alleged that the group, including drivers dubbed “slammers,” orchestrated accidents by crashing into unsuspecting truck drivers. Following these staged collisions, accomplices posing as drivers or witnesses manipulated the scene, falsely attesting fault to the truck operators. These fraudulent activities aimed to extract money from insurance companies by filing deceitful claims and lawsuits.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Louisiana stated that the scheme also employed fake witnesses to bolster these deceptive claims. As the prosecution delved deeper, attempts to obstruct justice were reportedly made by the co-conspirators. This allegedly included intimidating witnesses and, in one severe instance, the murder of a former associate, Cornelius Garrison, purportedly to eliminate any loose ends related to their illicit operations.
Motta, who recently plead not guilty, faces charges including conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, obstruction of justice, and witness tampering. Both Motta and an associate, attorney Jason Giles, had their law licenses suspended following the indictment.
Before her legal career, Motta carved out a niche in Hollywood, performing stunts in high-profile films like “Jurassic World” and “Furious 7.” She leveraged her cinematic past to craft a unique persona in the legal arena, branding herself as a “stuntwoman turned badass attorney” in advertisements designed to attract clients seeking representation.
Her attorney, Sean Toomey, argues that Motta was unaware of the fraudulent activities, suggesting that she might have been an unwitting victim if the crashes were indeed orchestrated without her knowledge.
This unfolding legal drama highlights a significant case of alleged insurance fraud with potential implications for legal ethics and professional conduct. As the case progresses through the federal court system, the details uncovered will likely offer further insights into the intricate mechanisms behind such deceptive schemes and the varied tactics used to exploit the insurance system.
As with any complex legal matter, the information presented in this article is subject to verification, and readers are encouraged to approach the details with caution. Errors or misrepresentations can be reported for review by contacting [email protected].