NEW ORLEANS, La. (WGNO) — The U.S. Attorney’s office says another member of a vast conspiracy to commit fraud by staging car wrecks has pleaded guilty.
Florence Randle of Gibson, Louisiana pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud.
In exchange for her guilty plea the U.S. Attorney’s office dismissed her prior four counts of mail Fraud.
Randle faces a maximum penalty of five years’ imprisonment, supervised release of up to three years and a fine up to $250,000.00.
Randle’s guilty plea brings the total number of defendants convicted in “Operation Sideswipe” to 43.
Federal investigators say Randle served as an intermediary who recruited and directed passengers to participate in staged automobile collisions with tractor-trailers on May 17, 2017 and June 6, 2017.
The passengers filed fraudulent lawsuits that falsely claimed that the tractor-trailers were at fault, and coordinated with others to arrange the staged collisions.
Sentencing in the case is set for March 1st, 2023.
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