Trainer is indicted for alleged auto-accident fraud scheme

Sean Alfortish, who was sentenced to three years in federal prison in 2012 after a scheme to rig the 2008 Louisiana Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association election, has been indicted in Louisiana in connection with a scheme to stage car accidents and file fraudulent injury lawsuits.

Also indicted was attorney Vanessa Motta, an attorney who represented jockey Oscar Ceballos on an appeal to the Federal Trade Commission after HISA imposed a crop violation for his ride on Alotaluck in the 2024 Sunland Derby. According to a report from Travers Mackel of NBC affiliate WDSU, Motta is engaged to Alfortish.

The U.S. Attorney's office in the Eastern District of Louisiana announced the unsealing of the indictment against Alfortish, Motta, other individuals, and two law firms including the Motta Firm on Monday. The charges were previously reported by Ray Paulick of Paulick Report.

Alfortish served 28 months in federal prison for charges related to his time as president of the Louisiana HBPA. Those charges included a scheme to rig the 2008 Louisiana HBPA election to keep himself in office and elect board members friendly to him. They also included fraud charges related to using Louisiana HBPA medical benefit trust funds for other expenses including gifts, flowers, travel, meals, entertainment, gasoline and a national HBPA convention. Alfortish had been a licensed attorney in Louisiana, but was permanently disbarred in 2014.

While this was going on, scrutiny on the auto accident fraud case was heightening. Alfortish and Motta, among others, were accused of obstruction of justice and witness tampering starting in or around 2019, when they allegedly became aware of a federal investigation of the collision scheme. On Sept. 8, 2020, Cornelius Garrison was indicted in the Eastern District of Louisiana on charges related to the scheme. Four days later Garrison was murdered. Neither Alfortish nor Motta has been charged with killing Garrison, though both are charged with witness tampering and retaliation through that murder.

While this was going on, Alfortish remained involved in horse racing. In 2020, Alfortish ran for the Louisiana HBPA board as an owner director but got the second fewest votes of 15 candidates for five seats.

Alfortish then got a trainer's license and raced horses in Louisiana and New Mexico between 2022 and 2024. Alfortish amassed a 111: 23-12-13 record and $469,408 in purses over that time. His top earner was Dixie Street, who won both the 2022 Louisiana Champions Day Starter Stakes at Fair Grounds and the 2023 Louisiana Bred Premier Ragin Cajun Starter Stakes.

Alfortish last ran a horse Nov. 30 at Fair Grounds, when Dixie Street ran fourth in a $5,000 claiming race. He has one horse entered Sunday at the New Orleans track: Oak Hill Lg is entered in the opener, a $12,500 claiming sprint.

On Wednesday, Alfortish appeared before a magistrate judge, who granted him representation by a public defender. Alfortish has entered a plea of not guilty. According to the WDSU report, Motta is expected to appear in court in January.