Two more guilty pleas announced, two sentenced in Louisiana staged-accident scheme The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Louisiana announced two more guilty pleas and two sentencings in the widespread staged-accident fraud scheme in the New Orleans area that targeted motor carriers and insurance companies. On June 23, James “Curtis” Williams and Ryan Wheaten entered a guilty plea to conspiracy to commit mail fraud. According to the plea, on March 27, 2017, Williams conspired with co-defendants Tanya Givens, John Diggs and Lois Russell to stage an accident with a tractor-trailer at the intersection of Chef Menteur Highway and Downman Road. In total, the victim trucking and insurance companies paid out approximately $272,500 for fraudulent claims made after the staged accident.