A New Orleans attorney, Vanessa Motta, is one of eight individuals indicted by the US Department of Justice in a complex insurance fraud conspiracy. The scheme involved staged car crashes, allegedly targeting 18-wheelers, to file fraudulent claims.
Motta, 43, and her co-defendants, who included her husband and professional drivers, are accused of intentionally causing collisions. These "slammer" drivers, often aided by getaway drivers, would leave the scene. Passengers would subsequently claim responsibility for the crashes, coordinating false narratives and using other conspirators as witnesses.
Prosecutors allege the scheme was meticulously orchestrated, with Motta playing a key role in filing fraudulent insurance claims. She pleaded not guilty in a Louisiana court to charges related to the alleged conspiracy, including mail and wire fraud, witness tampering, and obstruction of justice. Her attorney argues she was a victim of the operation.
The alleged scheme had deadly consequences. One individual, Ryan "Red" Harris, was implicated in the murder of a former partner for fear of incriminating testimony. The victim, who had cooperated with the investigation, died in 2020. One female defendant, who was reportedly dating Harris at the time, stated he threatened her with violence if she disclosed the alleged murder.
Motta's law license has been suspended, and she is currently out on a $250,000 bond pending trial. Prior to her legal career, Motta, a stuntwoman, had appeared in various films such as Jurassic World, Logan, Furious 7, and Dawn of the Planet of the Apes.
