NEW ORLEANS, La. – A Baton Rouge couple is facing multiple charges after authorities say they attempted to fraudulently obtain nearly $30,000 from an insurance company.
The investigation began when the Louisiana Department of Insurance submitted a criminal referral regarding suspected insurance fraud.
According to officials, 48-year-old Rhashiedi Porter and 37-year-old Sarai Stansberry filed a claim stemming from a minor parking lot accident. The pair allegedly provided sworn statements asserting they were wearing seatbelts inside their vehicle when it was struck and that they sustained injuries requiring more than five months of medical treatment.
However, surveillance footage later revealed that neither Porter nor Stansberry was inside the vehicle at the time of the crash. After the video evidence surfaced, authorities say the couple voluntarily dismissed their lawsuit.
Investigators secured the footage along with additional evidence, which they say confirmed the couple intentionally submitted a false claim in an effort to collect approximately $30,000.
On Feb. 23, both were arrested and booked into the Orleans Parish Jail.
They are charged with:
Insurance Fraud
Perjury
False Swearing
Filing False Public Records
The investigation is ongoing.
