Adonte Turner and Tiffany Turner were sentenced on July 17 for conspiracy to commit wire fraud, according to the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Louisiana. Both individuals, residents of New Orleans, were found guilty of participating in a scheme involving a staged automobile accident.
Court documents show that on November 13, 2017, Adonte Turner and Tiffany Turner were passengers in a vehicle that intentionally struck a tractor-trailer near Interstate 10 and Paris Road in New Orleans. The two made false police reports, filed fraudulent lawsuits, lied during deposition testimony, and sought unnecessary medical treatment as part of their fraudulent activities.
U.S. District Judge Sarah S. Vance sentenced both defendants to eighteen months of probation. Each was also ordered to pay a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office acknowledged assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Louisiana State Police, and the Metropolitan Crime Commission during the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Maria Carboni, Edward Rivera, and Brian M. Klebba prosecuted the case.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division focused on investigating and prosecuting fraud against Americans. This initiative supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance.