NEW ORLEANS (WVUE) – A federal jury found prominent injury attorneys Vanessa Motta and Jason Giles guilty Friday on multiple charges in an alleged staged wreck scheme, and both were later remanded to federal custody as they await sentencing.
Federal prosecutors said the case centered on a scheme in which so-called slammers intentionally crashed into 18-wheelers, allowing participants to file lawsuits and seek insurance payouts. Prosecutors argued Motta and Giles helped profit from those wrecks through their law practices.
U.S. District Judge Wendy Vitter read the verdict after jurors deliberated for over five hours Friday.
Giles was found guilty of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and wire fraud, mail fraud, obstruction of justice and witness tampering. Motta was found guilty of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and wire fraud, two counts of mail fraud, obstruction of justice and witness…
THE TUTUKA POWER STATION PROCUREMENT FRAUD (ESKOM)
Date: August 29, 2025 Perpetrator: Jessie Phindile Kubheka (Supplier Director)
Case Description: As part of the ongoing “cleaning up” of Eskom, Jessie Phindile Kubheka was sentenced to 12 years (with 5 years suspended) for defrauding the Tutuka Power Station. The case involved a sophisticated procurement syndicate that exploited Eskom’s emergency repair protocols. Kubheka’s company was contracted to deliver three high-specification containers for the power station. Only one container was ever delivered, and even that single unit failed to meet the required safety and technical specifications.
Despite the lack of delivery, Kubheka issued grossly inflated invoices, defrauding the utility of approximately R2.6 million. The Middelburg Specialised Commercial Crimes Court ordered Kubheka to repay the full amount. This case is significant because it marks a shift in Eskom’s strategy toward “naming and shaming” suppliers and pursuing full asset recovery. It serves as a stark warning to contractors that the 2026 climate of “Zero Tolerance” for state-owned enterprise (SOE) fraud is backed by active judicial enforcement.
Link to Original: Eskom Official – Tutuka Fraud Sentencing