No Accident: An Inside Look at a New Orleans Organized Crime Ring
Every time we get behind the wheel, we risk getting in an accident. Despite our best attempts to avoid them, Driver Knowledge reports there are an average of six million car crashes per year in the United States—from fender benders to hit and runs.
The reality is, however, that some accidents are not “accidents” at all. Even with an 8.7% increase in fatality rates per miles driven from 2020 to 2022, where most see danger, criminals see opportunity. Staged accidents are among the most common types of suspicious vehicle collisions submitted to the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) as questionable claims, and one particular staged accident has developed into one of NICB’s more interesting cases.ne particular staged accident has developed into one of NICB’s more interesting cases.
The Case
On June 12, 2017, a fender bender took place on the Danziger Bridge in New Orleans. At first glance, the collision seemed normal, but as injury claims rolled in and attorneys unraveled the case, suspicions arose.
With the investigation seemingly more complex than initially anticipated, attorneys involved the New Orleans Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), who enlisted the help of NICB. Upon assessing the case, NICB provided the FBI tactical intelligence packages aimed at individuals of interest.
The FBI investigation indicated that this small “accident” was allegedly the work of a major staged accident crime ring.
'The Accident'
According to the United States Department of Justice, the confessed ringleader of the operation worked alongside others to defraud insurance and trucking companies by intentionally staging car accidents.
To pull off the scam, “slammers” packed vehicles with passengers and intentionally caused an accident with a refrigerated 18-wheel tractor-trailer as it departed a facility outside of New Orleans. “Spotters” followed close behind to quickly remove the slammer from the scene, and the slammers would exit the vehicle and act as an innocent witness to the accident.
Once the staged accident was successfully completed, the slammer acted as a “runner” and referred clients to specific accident attorneys. Those involved in the staged accident ring would reportedly hire one of those attorneys to represent them, and in turn, the attorney paid the runners $1,000 per passenger for accidents involving tractor-trailers and $500 for other staged accidents.
The Reality Is: Some Accidents are Not 'Accidents' At All
According to the 11-page indictment filed in December of 2019, the attorneys allegedly went as far as to convince a defendant to undergo neck surgery to receive more money through the lawsuit. The defendant wasn’t the only one to receive an unnecessary surgery: NOLA.com reported that another alleged ringleader purportedly received neck surgery after consulting with his claim attorney.
33 defendants, including one personal injury attorney, have been charged thus far in the intentional staging of motor vehicle accidents with tractor-trailers and commercial vehicles in the metropolitan New Orleans area. A total of 20 defendants have tendered guilty pleas.