The U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Criminal Division of the Department of Justice have revealed a ten-count superseding indictment involving eight individuals and two law firms, linked to alleged staged automobile collisions in New Orleans. The indictment charges Ryan J. Harris, also known as "Red," Sean D. Alfortish, Vanessa Motta, Jason F. Giles, Leon M. Parker, also known as "Chunky," Diaminike F. Stalbert, Carl Morgan, and Timara N. Lawrence—all from New Orleans or Metairie—as well as the law firms Motta Law LLC and The King Firm LLC.
According to officials, the defendants face charges ranging from conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud to witness tampering through murder. The scheme allegedly involved intentionally staging car accidents to file fraudulent insurance claims and lawsuits.
Count One accuses all defendants of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud under Title 18 of the United States Code. Additional counts address specific actions such as obstruction of justice and making false statements.
The indictment describes how participants in the scheme deliberately caused collisions with commercial vehicles in New Orleans, later filing false claims based on these staged incidents. Some individuals allegedly acted as drivers ("slammers") who collided with other vehicles intentionally before fleeing the scene.
In September 2020, one participant named Cornelius Garrison was murdered after cooperating with federal investigators—an act for which Harris is specifically charged.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew R. Payne and Brian M. Klebba are leading the prosecution alongside Trial Attorney J. Ryan McLaren from the Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section.
This case is part of a broader federal investigation that has resulted in charges against 63 individuals related to similar activities within New Orleans.
Officials emphasized that an indictment is not proof of guilt; all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in court.