The United States district attorney’s office is looking into federal insurance fraud cases surrounding staged accidents in the New Orleans area. Court documents obtained by WDSU Investigates show the investigation is expanding.

"I don’t think we are the sole venue for insurance fraud and staged accident claims, it really is across the country," said attorney Harry Rosenberg, a former United States attorney for Southeast Louisiana.

"We do seem to have a disproportionate share down here."

Rosenberg oversaw federal investigators cracking down on insurance fraud rings.

"It happened in the ’90s, it happened again 10 years later, and just last week the U.S. attorney indicted five individuals," Rosenberg said. "I think it is a pattern really, impacts billions of dollars."