A former New Orleans lawyer faces federal charges after prosecutors say he took part in an insurance scheme that misled hundreds of homeowners and insurance providers following Hurricane Ida.
Richard William Huye III, 34, now living in Texas, was charged on Aug. 28, 2026, with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, according to an announcement from U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle.
Federal court documents state that Huye, a licensed Louisiana attorney, joined an unnamed Texas-based practice identified as “Law Firm A” on Sept. 1, 2021—three days after Hurricane Ida hit Southeast Louisiana. The firm soon opened a New Orleans branch that October.
According to the bill of information, the firm pushed an Alabama roofing company to expand into Louisiana, assuring the contractor it could freely use “Assignment of Benefits” (AOB) agreements. Under these setups, policyholders transfer their insurance claim rights to a contractor. However, prosecutors noted that most Louisiana home insurance policies either barred these transfers outright or required prior company approval.
After entering Louisiana, the roofing business collected hundreds of AOBs from local property owners and handed the claims over to Law Firm A. Prosecutors say the firm told the roofing contractor to sign legal retention contracts on behalf of homeowners who never gave permission or knew the agreements existed.
To bypass policy rules against assignments, Huye sent hundreds of electronic representation letters to insurance carriers on behalf of the firm and a managing partner identified as “Co-Conspirator 1.” These notices claimed the firm represented the individual homeowners alone, intentionally hiding the roofing contractor’s financial interest. Federal filings state Huye and the firm repeated these false statements in regular correspondence, formal mediations, and court dockets.
The operation came to light in February 2023 during hearings in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana. Counsel for the firm admitted in court to mailing at least 856 misleading representation notices. The firm also conceded that it settled at least nine mediated disputes without revealing it strictly represented the roofing outfit through an assignment agreement. Records show Huye and the practice also sued insurers without client permission and filed multiple declaratory judgment actions containing false statements about whom they represented.
The charging document cites eight specific Louisiana homeowners whose storm claims suffered under the arrangement. Most of those listed received less money to fix their storm-damaged roofs—or received nothing at all—because the firm withheld unauthorized legal fees and costs. In several instances, Co-Conspirator 1 forged or endorsed settlement checks without owner permission and deposited the storm repair funds directly into firm accounts.
Huye is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. If convicted, he faces up to five years in federal prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000, or twice the financial gain or loss caused by the offense.
Courcelle emphasized that a bill of information is simply an accusation and that Huye is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
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