NEW ORLEANS, Updated 7:10 p.m. CDT October 16, 2000-- Federal agents on Monday charged a key player in the "Canal Street Cartel" scheme, according to WDSU NewsChannel 6 investigative reporter Richard Angelico.

Former New Orleans attorney Stephen Bernstein was charged with structuring, a method of concealing money from federal authorities by systematically depositing it in amounts of less than $10,000 to beat IRS reporting requirements.

At the former O'Keefe law firm, more that $1 million was paid annually to "runners" who hustled car accident cases.

One runner, caught on hidden camera, explains how the scheme worked.

"Say look, you ain't say you hurt, if you say no, ain't nothing there for you, understand what I'm saying? Because you can't collect nothing if you ain't hurt , you understand? If anyone say they ain't hurt ain't gonna make no more money," he said.

Bernstein ran the day-to-day business for attorney Michael O'Keefe, who bankrolled the entire operation and fronted the money to pay the runners, Angelico said.

O'Keefe is serving 19 and-a-half years in federal prison on other charges.

Although O'Keefe never performed any legal work, one lawyer who worked at the firm said that 60 percent of all legal fees flowed into O'Keefe's pocket.

Bernstein, who handled the paperwork that made it all happen, has given up his license to practice law and agreed to cooperate with authorities, Angelico said.

Bernstein was charged in a short-form bill of information rather than an indictment, a sign that he is cooperating in the case and likely will plead guilty to all charges, Angelico said.