Louisiana Attorney Charged in Hurricane Ida Assignment-of-Benefits Wire Fraud Conspiracy

Published Nov. 6, 2026. Case status is current as of that date.

After a major storm, homeowners often sign papers they do not fully understand so a roofer or lawyer can pursue the insurer. On Aug. 28, 2026, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Louisiana announced that Richard William Huye III, 34, formerly of New Orleans and now of Texas, a Louisiana-licensed attorney, had been charged by bill of information with conspiracy to commit wire fraud [1].

Important: A bill of information is a charge, not a conviction. The U.S. Attorney's Office states that guilt must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt. Huye is presumed innocent [1].

What the charge alleges

According to the bill of information as summarized by prosecutors [1]:

1. Huye began working for a Texas-based firm ("Law Firm A") three days after Hurricane Ida struck Southeast Louisiana on Aug. 29, 2021. The firm opened a New Orleans office in October 2021.
2. The firm encouraged an Alabama roofing company to use Assignment of Benefits (AOB) forms. Prosecutors say many Louisiana insurers restricted or barred such assignments.
3. The roofing company signed up hundreds of homeowners and sent claims to Law Firm A. The firm allegedly had the roofer sign attorney-retention contracts for homeowners without their authorization.
4. Huye allegedly sent false letters of representation to insurers claiming the firm represented only the homeowner, without disclosing the roofing AOB—at least 856 such letters, with at least nine matters settled by mediation under that framing, according to admissions by the firm's counsel described in the release.
5. Most named victim homeowners either did not receive repair money or saw amounts reduced by unauthorized fees; in some instances a co-conspirator endorsed settlement checks without proper authorization.

Conspiracy to commit wire fraud carries a maximum of five years in prison if convicted [1].

The person charged

Richard William Huye III, 34. Louisiana-licensed attorney. Charged by information with conspiracy to commit wire fraud (18 U.S.C. §§ 371, 1343); presumed innocent [1].

Red flags after a storm

These are general warning signs, not findings about any homeowner in this case.

• Signing an assignment of benefits or attorney retainer you did not read.
• A lawyer or contractor who will not explain who actually gets the insurance check.
• Settlement of your claim without your clear consent.

What to do

• Contact your insurer directly before signing AOB or retainer papers.
• Report suspected insurance fraud to your state insurance department and the FBI at ic3.gov.

Case status (as of Nov. 6, 2026)

Defendant	Court	Status	Source
Richard William Huye III, 34	U.S. District Court, E.D. La. (docket not stated)	Charged by bill of information Aug. 28, 2026, with conspiracy to commit wire fraud; presumed innocent	[1]

An information is not a conviction. Statuses can change.

Sources

1. U.S. Attorney's Office, Eastern District of Louisiana, "Attorney Charged with Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud in Connection with Hurricane Ida Fraud Committed by Law Firm with Louisiana and Texas Offices," Aug. 28, 2026. https://www.justice.gov/usao-edla/pr/fraud-connection-hurricane-ida-fraud-committed-law-firm-louisiana-and-texas-offices