2 More from Louisiana Sentenced for Staged Automobile Collisions to Defraud Insurance and Trucking Companies

Louisiana – Doniesha Gibson (“Gibson”), 31, of New Orleans, Louisiana, and Erica Lee Thompson (“Erica Lee”), 47, of Harvey, Louisiana, were sentenced on May 25, 2022, for Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 371, arising from staged automobile collisions with tractor-trailers in New Orleans.

According to documents filed in federal court, Gibson and Erica Lee, along with their co-conspirators and others, conspired to commit wire fraud in connection with staged accidents, including two that occurred on October 15, 2015, and September 6, 2017. So far, thirty-seven defendants have been convicted in “Operation Sideswipe.”

Gibson admitted to being a passenger in a staged car accident on October 15, 2015. On that day, her former co-defendant deliberately drove a 2014 Dodge Avenger owned by Gibson into a Hotard bus while traveling on the I-10 near the I-510 flyover. Gibson hired an attorney and filed a claim for damages. The total settlement amount for the Hotard bus accident was around $677,500.00.

Erica Lee admitted that on September 6, 2017, near the Almonaster exit on I-10, she was a passenger in a 2015 RAV4 driven by their former co-defendant when he intentionally crashed into an Averitt Express tractor-trailer. Erica Lee hired legal counsel and filed a claim for damages. The Averitt accident resulted in a total settlement of $30,000.

Gibson admitted to being a passenger in a staged accident on October 15, 2015. On that day, her former co-defendant intentionally drove a 2014 Dodge Avenger owned by Gibson into a Hotard bus while traveling on the I-10 near the I-510 flyover. Gibson hired an attorney and then filed a claim for damages. The total settlement for the Hotard bus accident was approximately $677,500.00.

Erica Lee admitted that on September 6, 2017, near the Almonaster exit on I-10, she was a passenger in a 2015 RAV4 driven by their former co-defendant when he intentionally crashed into a tractor-trailer owned by Averitt Express. Erica Lee retained counsel and filed a claim for damages. The total settlement for the Averitt accident was $30,000.

The United States Attorney’s Office would also like to acknowledge the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Louisiana State Police, and the Metropolitan Crime Commission for their assistance with this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian M. Klebba, Chief of the Financial Crimes Unit, Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward J. Rivera, Assistant U.S. Attorney Maria Carboni, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon Long are prosecuting this case.