Texans for Lawsuit Reform

Through political action, legal, academic and market research, and grassroots initiatives, TLR fights for common-sense reforms that keep Texas open for business.

  • About TLR
    • Our Mission
    • Our Team
    • Timeline of Reforms
  • Videos
  • Issues
  • Resource Center
    • Special Reports
    • In the News
    • Press Releases
    • The Advocate
    • TLR Blog: For the Record
  • Get Involved
  • Contact
    • Contact Us
    • Invite a TLR Speaker
  • Donate
  • Stay Informed
In the News

Attorney indicted, key witness murdered as FBI turns up the heat in Louisiana insurance fraud investigation

WWL TV, November 23, 2020

NEW ORLEANS — Dozens of staged accidents. Scores of hustlers. Millions of dollars paid to settle fraudulent lawsuits with fake injuries claims.

And, as a result, the entire state of Louisiana suffering from some of the highest car insurance rates in the country.

“It affects all of us,” former U.S. Attorney Harry Rosenberg said. “It affects you and me and all of your listeners because we’re all going to be paying more insurance as a result of these fraudulent claims.”

Authorities say the scam involves people packing into a car, intentionally side swiping a random 18-wheeler, then claiming injuries in a lawsuit that usually ends in a settlement paid by insurance companies.

The street-level organizers of the scheme, known as “slammers,” are the ones behind the wheel, creating the accident. After they ram their target, they jump out, putting someone else in the driver’s seat.

“It’s almost a suicidal occupation to be a slammer, to slam yourself into an eighteen-wheeler,” U.S. Attorney Peter Strasser said. “I have one word for you: It’s outrageous.”

WWL-TV’s yearlong investigative series into the probe, “Highway Robbery,” has chronicled the indictment of 33 defendants by the U.S. Attorney’s office, leading to 11 guilty pleas and counting. The case is now at a critical juncture, potentially exploding into one of the largest accident fraud cases of its kind.

“Every one of those pleas, you have to assume are people that are cooperating with the government and sharing information,” said Rafael Goyeneche, president of the Metropolitan Crime Commission, a non-profit criminal justice watchdog group.

This month, the sprawling case reached a critical point. While several attorneys have been linked to the scam defendants in previous indictments, veteran accident attorney Daniel Patrick Keating became the first to be indicted on Nov. 5.

In a rare public appearance, Strasser and local FBI Chief Bryan Vorndran held a press briefing to announce the indictment.

“As all attorneys do, Mr. Keating took an oath to uphold the United States Constitution and the laws of the state of Louisiana. But instead, he chose to violate those laws and his oath,” Vorndran said.

WWL-TV identified Keating as a target when more than a year ago. Now multiple sources tell us that Keating is cooperating with authorities. Further proof came last week when he voluntarily gave up his law license.

With Keating unmasked as the person listed as “Attorney A” in prior court documents, attention now turns to attorneys identified in the court records as B through E.

“All I can tell you is the investigation is continuing for attorneys A, B, C and so forth,” Strasser said.

Rosenberg said the case is unfolding in classic fashion: Indict the lower-level suspects, secure some guilty pleas and cooperation, then work your way up to higher-profile targets.

“It’s just a classic approach by federal prosecutors to work their way up the ladder,” he said. “Those who come in early get the best (plea) deal because they have the ability to help the government.”

Multiple sources say that some of the other professionals implicated have consulted with A-list criminal defense attorneys in case they’re next.

“I think most of them have, as they say, lawyered up and have retained defense counsel because they know the individuals who have been charged,” Rosenberg said.

Said Goyeneche, “That’s an indication to me of being a little nervous and rightfully so.”

From previous “Highway Robbery” segments, WWL-TV connected attorney Vanessa Motta and her fiancé Sean Alfortish to accident lawsuits that have been flagged as fraudulent.

The couple is again identified by code in a recent indictment from September in which a known slammer and eight passengers were charged with staging accidents. The accused ringleader in that indictment is Cornelius Garrison, linked to more than 50 bogus accidents, including one where Motta settled his own personal injury claim for $650,000.

In an alarming development, Garrison was murdered four days after he was named in the indictment. That fatal shooting inside Garrison’s Mid-City apartment on Sept. 22 is now being looked at by the FBI.

“It’s unusual to see the FBI bring in a task force just on a single murder,” Rosenberg said. “And that’s apparently what happened in the aftermath of Mr. Garrison’s murder.”

Garrison’s indictment refers to Alfortish as “Co-Conspirator A,” noting that Alfortish provided office space for Motta at his Kenner building. Alfortish is a disbarred attorney who served time in federal prison after being convicted in an unrelated fraud case in which he rigged an election to remain president of the Louisiana Horseman’s Benevolent and Protective Association.

Dane Ciolino, an attorney representing Motta, said he had nothing to add to his previous comments that his client is cooperating fully with authorities. Calls to Alfortish went unreturned.

Court records show that other indicted suspects, including some who pleaded guilty, were represented in accidents claims by the King Firm, located on Canal Street in New Orleans. The firm is one of the city’s better known personal injury law groups due to their frequent television commercials.

David Courcelle, an attorney representing the King Firm, said attorneys at the firm  are careful to avoid claims that they think might be fraudulent.

“While we cannot comment on any particular case, we are one of the many law firms who represented people who are now charged,” Courcelle conceded. “The King Firm worked hard to uncover the truth and took appropriate action in all cases.”

As the heat gets turned up, Vorndran issued a warning.

“For the FBI,” he said, “this is warning to anyone who’s involved in this scheme or any other schemes that we’re looking and we’re coming and if you’re involved in this or something similar, you may want to have a few sleepless nights between now and a few months out.”

Follow us on Facebook

Comments Box SVG iconsUsed for the like, share, comment, and reaction icons

Texans for Lawsuit Reform

9 hours ago

Texans for Lawsuit Reform

Texas ports are thriving today, but in the early 2000s, abusive personal injury lawsuits threatened to shut them down. As the Port of Houston begins a long-awaited expansion, read more about the common-sense lawsuit reform in 2007 that saved our state’s shipping industry in this week’s TLR blog, For the Record: bit.ly/3aeTy6n ... See MoreSee Less

Learn More

Play
View on Facebook
·Share

Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on Linked InShare by Email

  • Likes: 1
  • Shares: 2
  • Comments: 0

Comment on Facebook

Texans for Lawsuit Reform

2 days ago

Texans for Lawsuit Reform

Wishing everyone a very happy Fourth of July! ... See MoreSee Less

Wishing everyone a very happy Fourth of July!
View on Facebook
·Share

Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on Linked InShare by Email

  • Likes: 5
  • Shares: 0
  • Comments: 1

Comment on Facebook

Happy Independence Day America Today we celebrate our Republic 🇺🇸

Texans for Lawsuit Reform

5 days ago

Texans for Lawsuit Reform

In case you missed it: Specialized business courts like the Delaware Court of Chancery can be an important addition to a state’s economic foundation. These courts quickly and expertly handle complex business litigation, freeing up other courts to handle other types of cases. Read and share: bit.ly/3y7zwnI ... See MoreSee Less

Link thumbnail

Making Business Our Business

bit.ly

Much has been written about Elon Musk—eccentric billionaire, CEO of some of the most innovative companies in the world and… future owner of Twitter? While the nuances of this deal are daily fodder...
View on Facebook
·Share

Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on Linked InShare by Email

  • Likes: 0
  • Shares: 0
  • Comments: 0

Comment on Facebook


Follow us on Twitter

lawsuitreform avatarTLR@lawsuitreform·
7h 1544441042120089600

Sign up for the TLR Weekly News Roundup to receive a daily digest of headlines & news stories about #lawsuitreform from Texas & around the country!

Sign up for the TLR Weekly News Roundup!

Please use the form below to receive a daily digest of TLR Clips - headlines and news stories about lawsuit reform from Texas and around the country.

bit.ly

Reply on Twitter 1544441042120089600Retweet on Twitter 1544441042120089600Like on Twitter 15444410421200896001Twitter 1544441042120089600
lawsuitreform avatarTLR@lawsuitreform·
9h 1544407069297614851

Texas ports are thriving, but in the early 2000s, abusive lawsuits threatened to shut them down. Read more about the common-sense reform that saved our state’s shipping industry in this week’s TLR blog, For the Record: https://bit.ly/3aeTy6n

Twitter feed video.
Image for the Tweet beginning: Texas ports are thriving, but
Reply on Twitter 1544407069297614851Retweet on Twitter 15444070692976148512Like on Twitter 1544407069297614851Twitter 1544407069297614851
lawsuitreform avatarTLR@lawsuitreform·
4 Jul 1543988532720566273

Wishing everyone a very happy #4thOfJuly!

Twitter feed video.
Image for the Tweet beginning: Wishing everyone a very happy
Reply on Twitter 1543988532720566273Retweet on Twitter 1543988532720566273Like on Twitter 15439885327205662732Twitter 1543988532720566273

Texans for Lawsuit Reform
1701 Brun Street
Houston, Texas 77019

Ph. 713-963-9363
  • About TLR
  • Our Mission
  • Our Team
  • Timeline of Reforms
  • Videos
  • Issues
  • Resource Center
  • For the Record
  • Special Reports
  • In the News
  • Press Releases
  • Invite a TLR Speaker
  • Get Involved
  • Invite a TLR Speaker
  • Donate
  • Stay Informed
  • Contact TLR

Copyright © 2022 · Texans for Lawsuit Reform. All rights reserved. | Privacy Policy

Copyright © 2022 · Texans for Lawsuit Reform.
All rights reserved.
Privacy Policy