A jaw-dropping moment unfolded in federal court in New Orleans this week: A federal witness testified that injury attorney Jason Giles paid him hundreds of thousands of dollars to stage car crashes into 18-wheelers as part of what prosecutors describe as a years-long insurance fraud scheme. The witness, identified as Damian Labeaud and called a "slammer" by prosecutors, explained how the operation worked: he would intentionally crash cars into big-rig trucks, then bring the cases to Labeaud and others in exchange for kickbacks.
What really caught everyone's attention? Labeaud's candid explanation of why he did it. "I got involved with it just to make money," he testified. "It was easier than selling drugs, less risky, less problems for me." According to his testimony, he earned close to $1 million from the scheme over the years, pulling off what he estimated were a few hundred staged wrecks for Giles alone.
Federal prosecutors outlined an alleged conspiracy dating back to 2011, with Motta and Giles accused of paying "slammers" hundreds of thousands of dollars to crash into mostly tractor-trailers and file fraudulent lawsuits to get big settlements. The feds say some passengers underwent surgeries they didn't need while attorneys raked in millions. In some cases, passengers received only $1,000 kickbacks while lawyers pocketed the rest from inflated insurance claims. Prosecutors claim this widespread fraud has driven up car insurance rates across Louisiana.
Vanessa Motta, a former Hollywood stuntwoman-turned-lawyer, and attorney Jason Giles are currently standing trial on fraud and obstruction of justice charges. The trial, which started in early March, has already heard emotional testimony from truck drivers who became unwitting victims in staged crashes, losing bonuses and developing anxiety. One trucking company attorney also testified that she suspected fraud and turned evidence over to law enforcement. The trial is expected to wrap up within the next week and a half, marking the first major prosecution in what authorities describe as a sprawling insurance fraud case that has spawned guilty pleas from roughly 50 defendants since 2019.