The booking photos of convicted lawyers Vanessa Motta and Jason Giles were released Monday.
According to court records, both were booked Friday night after they were convicted of working to stage wrecks and filing false insurance claims to collect millions.
“You’re talking about a fraud that impacts licensed driver, every insured person in this state,” said Rafael Goyeneche with the Metropolitan Crime Commission.
The two will be sentenced in July, and they face years behind bars.
The feds will also ask for restitution.
Payments to trucking companies and insurers who were ripped off by these two.
“In light of the facts of this case, I would imagine the restitution order coming from the court will be significantly high,” said Larry Centola, a civil litigation lawyer who followed the trial.
But some say it will not stop there.
The King Firm, where Giles worked, and Motta Law, owned by Motta, were also convicted as entities Friday afternoon.
This means that those firms, and anyone who worked with them and for them over the years, could be on the hook for civil lawsuits from trucking companies looking to get made whole.
“Absolutely. I don’t care if it’s criminal or civil — we have got to go after these people,” said Renee Amar, executive director of the Louisiana Motor Transport Association.
Some lawmakers support any type of civil action after the yearslong fraud by both firms.
State Rep. Nicky Muscarella, a practicing attorney, chairs the state’s civil law committee.
“We have to send a message, and I think you will see a message sent loud and clear. You’ve already seen a message sent in the criminal trial, but I think the trucking companies will send a message you can’t do this type of behavior in Louisiana,” said Muscarella.
But Centola says filing a lawsuit demanding repayment and actually collecting any money years later are two separate things.
“The theory would seem pretty sound. I do think the insurance companies will have a lot more difficulty than they anticipate in recovering what the jury says are ill-gotten gains,” said Centola.
Motta is set to be sentenced on July 7, and Giles on July 14, before Federal Judge Wendy Vitter.
READ MORE:Experts say millions could be sought from convicted lawyers, their firms, associates
