Louisiana Court Denies New Trial for Attorney in Staged Accident Scam
Vanessa Motta, a New Orleans attorney convicted in a staged accident scam, has been denied a new trial by U.S. District Court Judge Wendy Vitter. Motta was one of the ringleaders in a scheme that involved orchestrating car accidents to claim insurance payouts. Her request for a new trial was based on several grounds, all of which were rejected by the court. Meanwhile, a related criminal trial for two men accused of murdering a witness to the scam is set to begin on August 10. The case, known as 'Operation Sideswipe,' has implicated over 60 individuals, primarily on charges of mail and wire fraud. 
