NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – United States Legal professional Duane A. Evans introduced nowadays that DANNY PATRICK KEATING, JR., age 52, of New Orleans, Louisiana, entered a plea of guilty these days to Conspiracy to Dedicate Mail and Wire Fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 371, arising out of staged auto incidents with tractor-trailers taking place in New Orleans before Chief United States District Courtroom Decide Nannette Jolivette Brown.
KEATING was the 30-third (33rd) defendant charged in the Government’s federal probe into the intentional staging of motor car incidents with tractor-trailers and industrial vehicles in the metropolitan New Orleans place. So significantly, twenty-3 (23) of the thirty-3 (33) indicted defendants have tendered guilty pleas in federal court.
According to today’s guilty plea, KEATING was a particular damage attorney licensed to apply law in the State of Louisiana. KEATING admitted to conspiring with Damian Labeaud and other folks to defraud insurance policies corporations, professional carriers, and trucking companies in a scheme involving intentionally staging automobile mishaps.
Labeaud referred staged accidents to KEATING and other New Orleans private injury lawyers for $1,000.00 for every passenger for incidents involving tractor-trailers and $500.00 for each passenger for mishaps not involving tractor-trailers. KEATING advanced Labeaud countless numbers of pounds for these incidents and instructed Labeaud that he owed KEATING a particular variety of accidents primarily based on the quantity of money sophisticated. For instance, on July 17, 2017, KEATING gave Labeaud $15,000.00 so Labeaud could purchase a $15,000.00 Chase Lender cashier’s examine to acquire Mario Solomon’s truck.[1]Additionally, on September 25, 2017, KEATING wrote a $17,000.00 test to himself for “advertising” and used the proceeds to invest in a $17,000.00 cashier’s examine payable to Labeaud. The Indictment alleges KEATING paid Labeaud another $12,500.00 in checks during the month of June 2017.
KEATING admitted he knowingly compensated Labeaud for 30-a person (31) illegally staged tractor-trailer accidents. KEATING represented seventy-seven (77) plaintiffs concerned in the thirty-1 (31) accidents staged by Labeaud. KEATING settled seventeen (17) of the 30-one particular (31) staged mishaps. The Indictment billed that KEATING and his purchasers gained around $1,500,000.00 in settlement ensuing from his representation of his clientele associated in the staged accidents and that KEATING kept somewhere around $358,000.00 in attorney’s service fees.
KEATING admitted he filed lawsuits in point out and federal court in Louisiana on behalf of his customers who were included in the staged mishaps. The lawsuits filed on behalf of the seventy-7 (77) plaintiffs fraudulently alleged who was driving the automobiles, misrepresented who was at fault in the staged accidents, and falsely claimed injuries. KEATING used the U.S Postal Company to mail settlement demands on behalf of his consumers who have been associated in staged accidents from the Eastern District of Louisiana to various out-of-condition places. In lots of conditions, purchasers of KEATING delivered fake testimony in depositions taken in conjunction with lawsuits submitted by KEATING.
KEATING faces a maximum expression of five (5) yrs imprisonment, a fantastic of $250,000.00 or two times the gross achieve to the defendant or two times the gross loss to any particular person of the offense beneath Title 18, United States Code, Part 3571. In addition, KEATING faces a time period of supervised release up to three (3) several years just after his release from jail. Sentencing in this issue is scheduled for January 20, 2021, just before Chief United States District Choose Nannette Jolivette Brown.
“Fraud, regardless of its scope and suggests of orchestration, is a really serious crime. Particularly egregious is fraud fully commited against the hardworking taxpayer by a member of our lawful local community, reported U.S. Lawyer of the Eastern District of Louisiana Duane A. Evans.” This guilty plea sends a very clear concept that our place of work, together with our local, point out, and federal partners, will continue to vigorously look into and prosecute all this sort of corruption scenarios regardless of standing.
“Today’s responsible plea sends a very clear message to people today who opt for to interact in fraudulent techniques that grossly impression car and health coverage industries. They will be held accountable. Mr. Patrick Keating, a nearby legal professional, took an oath to uphold the United States Constitution and the guidelines of the Condition of Louisiana, but as a substitute, violated individuals legal guidelines and his oath in purchase to unjustly enrich himself by partaking in a scheme which resulted in the submitting of fraudulent car and health care coverage promises,” said Special Agent in Cost Douglas Williams, Jr. ”I would like to thank the U.S. Attorney’s Place of work of Jap District of Louisiana, Louisiana State Police, and the Metropolitan Criminal offense Fee for their partnership and remarkable operate accomplished throughout this investigation.”
The U.S. Attorney’s Office would also like to admit the help of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Louisiana Point out Law enforcement, and the Metropolitan Crime Commission with this make any difference. The prosecution of this circumstance is remaining taken care of by Assistant U.S. Lawyer Brian M. Klebba, Main of the Economic Crimes Unit Assistant U.S. Lawyer Edward Rivera Assistant U.S. Lawyer Shirin Hakimzadeh and Assistant U.S. Attorney Maria Carboni.
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[1]Solomon was a spotter who labored with Labeaud in staging vehicle incidents. Solomon pled guilty on Might 28, 2020, and was sentenced on January 22, 2021.