Two More from Louisiana Sentenced for Conspiring to Stage Automobile Accidents to Defraud Insurance
Two More from Louisiana Sentenced for Conspiring to Stage Automobile Accidents to Defraud Insurance
Louisiana – United States Attorney Duane A. Evans announced today that Chandrika Brown (“Brown”), age 31, and Aisha Thompson (“Thompson”), age 44, both of New Orleans, Louisiana, were sentenced today for Conspiracy to Commit Mail Fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 371, arising out of staged automobile accidents with tractor-trailers occurring in New Orleans.
According to court documents, Brown conspired with her co-defendants, Doniesha Gibson (Gibson) of New Orleans, Louisiana, and Ishais Price (Price) of New Orleans, as well as a co-defendant driver, to commit mail fraud in connection with a staged accident on October 15, 2015. Thompson and her co-defendants, Dewayne Coleman, Erica Lee Thompson (“Erica Lee”), Donisha Lee, Passenger A, and another individual, conspired to commit mail fraud in connection with a staged accident on September 6, 2017 with the same co-defendant driver. So far, thirty-six defendants have been convicted in “Operation Sideswipe.”
Brown claimed that on October 15, 2015, she was a passenger in Gibson’s 2014 Dodge Avenger, which was hit by a Hotard bus while traveling on the I-10 near the I-510 flyover. Defendant Price was also in the vehicle. In reality, a co-defendant asked Gibson to recruit Brown and Price as passengers, and he then went in search of a commercial vehicle to intentionally hit. Following the simulated accident, the co-defendant driver swapped seats with Gibson and called the N.O.P.D. Gibson and the passengers falsely claimed that the Hotard bus changed lanes illegally, causing the accident.Following that, Brown, Gibson, Price, and the co-defendant driver each retained counsel and filed personal injury claims against Hotard’s owner and insurer. Because of the claims, the insurer used the United States Postal Service to send settlement drafts to Brown, Gibson, Price, and the co-defendant driver’s counsel. The total settlement amount for the Hotard bus accident was around $677,500.
Similarly, Thompson falsely claimed that on September 6, 2017, near the Almonaster exit on I-10, she was a passenger in co-defendant Erica Lee’s 2015 RAV4, which was being driven by their former co-defendant, when he intentionally crashed into an Averitt Express tractor-trailer. Following the staged accident, the driver exited the RAV4 and instructed Erica Lee to take the wheel in order to make it appear that Erica Lee was driving the vehicle at the time of the staged accident. The defendants contacted the NOPD, falsely claiming that Erica Lee was the driver at the time of the accident. Passenger A misrepresented herself to the NOPD as Thompson.
Coleman, Donisha Lee, Erica Lee, Thompson, and another individual went to an attorney’s office about one or two days after the staged accident to collect money from the insurance and trucking company. Thompson and her co-defendants sought medical attention from doctors and other medical professionals. Thompson was treated despite the fact that she was not in the RAV4 at the time of the simulated accident. Thompson hired legal counsel and filed a claim for monetary damages. The Averitt accident resulted in a total settlement of $30,000.
Coleman, Donisha Lee, and another individual each provided false testimony in depositions taken in connection with the Thompson Lawsuit on March 26, 2019. Thompson gave false testimony in a deposition taken in connection with the Thompson Lawsuit on April 9, 2019. Thompson and her co-defendants lied in their depositions about the September 6, 2017 accident, including, but not limited to, who was driving the RAV4 and the extent of their injuries.
Brown was sentenced to three years’ probation, 100 hours of community service, $121,076.75 in restitution, and a $100.00 special assessment fee by United States District Judge Sarah S. Vance. Thompson was sentenced to 18 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, 100 hours of community service, $677,500.00 in restitution, and a $100.00 special assessment fee.
The United States Attorney’s Office would also like to thank 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.
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