Day 28 Part 2. Complete CDL Fraud Case Repository (2001-2025)

OHIO

Case 1: Neal Conaway (August 2001)

• Role: Independent third-party CDL examiner

• Licenses Affected: 248

• Crash Involved: No

• Fraud: Gave abbreviated 10-minute tests instead of required hour-long examinations; group pre-trip inspections instead of individual testing

• Outcome: Guilty plea; drivers required to retest

Case 2: Reubin R. Pete (October 2002)

• Role: Unlicensed driver

• Licenses Affected: 1 (his own)

• Crash Involved: No

• Fraud: Assumed identity of licensed North Carolina truck driver to obtain Ohio CDL; falsified documents, driver’s logs, drug tests, and employment applications

• Outcome: Guilty plea for false statements to FMCSA

Case 3: Shawn Martin (2018-2024)

• Role: CDL examiner, Northwest CDL Test Center

• Licenses Affected: Unknown number

• Crash Involved: No

• Fraud: Submitted false test results to Ohio DMV for applicants who failed or never took tests in exchange for payments

• Outcome: Guilty plea January 2024; 12 months probation, $100 assessment

ILLINOIS (Operation Safe Road - Multi-State)

Case 4: Lech Rzedzian (November 2001)

• Role: Middleman, Wheeling, IL

• Licenses Affected: 30+ (part of 1,000+ scheme)

• Crash Involved: No

• Fraud: Helped people buy CDLs by paying bribes to Florida truck-driving tester; charged customers up to $2,000 for copies of Florida CDL exam

• Outcome: Guilty plea to wire fraud

Case 5: Mark Winniczek (November 2001)

• Role: Commercial truck driving school instructor, Tampa, FL

• Licenses Affected: 1,000+ (admitted)

• Crash Involved: No

• Fraud: Collected $800-$1,300 from applicants, referred them to state-certified CDL examiner who gave passing grades for $200 bribes without proper testing

• Outcome: Guilty plea; part of Operation Safe Road with 41 total convictions

Case 6: Jorge Carranza (July 2002)

• Role: Employee, 3S Trucking Inc., Lauder Hill, FL

• Licenses Affected: Unknown number (part of 1,000+ scheme)

• Crash Involved: No

• Fraud: Accepted bribes to help unqualified eastern European and Russian CDL applicants fraudulently obtain Florida CDLs; received $400 per applicant for fraudulent passing scores; many applicants never got behind the wheel during testing

• Outcome: Guilty plea; part of Operation Safe Road

Case 7: Scott Fawell (March 2003)

• Role: Chief of Staff for Illinois Governor George Ryan

• Licenses Affected: Unknown (at least $170,000 in illegal CDL proceeds)

• Crash Involved: No

• Fraud: Forced Secretary of State employees to sell raffle tickets for Governor’s campaign; employees issued CDLs to unqualified applicants for $500-$1,500 each, used money to buy tickets; at least $170,000 from illegal CDLs went to campaign

• Outcome: Federal jury convicted of racketeering and fraud; sentencing scheduled June 26, 2003

Case 8: Peter Gregus (January 2003)

• Role: Middleman, Miami, FL

• Licenses Affected: ~100 (many from Illinois)

• Crash Involved: No

• Fraud: Bribery scheme middleman; helped non-English-speaking immigrants cheat on written and driving tests; 3S Trucking employee received $400 per applicant; many never got behind the wheel; unqualified CDL holders then employed by Watkins Truck Line

• Outcome: 5 months prison, 5 months home confinement

Case 9: Maria de los Santos (February 2003)

• Role: Employee, New Delhi Driving School (illegal resident from Mexico)

• Licenses Affected: Unknown (earned $100,000 from scheme)

• Crash Involved: No

• Fraud: Earned $100,000 from 1999-2001 helping illegal residents obtain false IDs; sold fraudulent Social Security cards and Mexican birth certificates; illegal residents then obtained valid Illinois driver’s licenses

• Outcome: 12 months jail, $30,000 fine

Case 10: Frank Catanzarite & John Nowak (2003-2004)

• Role: Terminal supervisor & safety supervisor, Watkins Motor Lines, Lyons, IL

• Licenses Affected: Unknown number

• Crash Involved: YES - One driver (Adem Salihovic) triggered 74-vehicle pileup in California: 2 dead, 51 injured (1998)

• Fraud: Pocketed at least $10,000 in bribes from unqualified drivers; recruited non-English speakers to obtain Florida CDLs from corrupt third-party tester who took cash without testing skills; Catanzarite accepted $500-$2,000 per driver, gave Nowak $100-$200 per driver

• Outcome: Catanzarite sentenced January 2004 to 17 months prison

Case 11: Adam Babul & Co-conspirators (2004-2005)

• Role: Owner, Bamba Inc., Chicago (assistance firm for legal documents)

• Licenses Affected: ~600 Wisconsin CDLs

• Crash Involved: No

• Fraud: Guaranteed Wisconsin CDL certification to Illinois residents for ~$2,000 each; transported applicants to Wisconsin, established fraudulent bank accounts using fake Wisconsin addresses for residency proof; supplied language translator who provided answers at examination sites

• Outcome: Babul sentenced November 2005 to 41 months prison, 36 months supervised release; 3 co-conspirators received probation

Case 12: Nasko Nazov (2004-2005)

• Role: Driver, World Truck, Chicago

• Licenses Affected: 1 (his Wisconsin CDL, part of larger scheme)

• Crash Involved: YES - March 2004 accident in Tennessee: 4 dead (family of four)

• Fraud: Illinois resident who fraudulently obtained Wisconsin CDL using fake address shared by other Illinois residents; assisted by interpreter who provided written test answers; lied to federal grand jury about the fraud

• Outcome: Sentenced October 2005 to 10 months prison; upon completion, transferred to Tennessee for vehicular homicide charges

Case 13: Lidia A. Rodenzo (July 2004)

• Role: Owner, Reliable Driving School

• Licenses Affected: Unknown number

• Crash Involved: No

• Fraud: Bribed Fernando Murillo, Illinois state driver’s license tester/supervisor, to pass CDL applicants

• Outcome: Guilty plea to wire fraud; sentencing set September 24, 2004

Case 14: Four Chicago Defendants (June 2004)

• Role: Fraud facilitators

• Licenses Affected: 600+ Wisconsin licenses

• Crash Involved: No

• Fraud: Helped at least 600 people (mostly foreign nationals) fraudulently obtain Wisconsin licenses though they didn’t live in Wisconsin and hadn’t demonstrated knowledge/ability; received up to $2,000 per applicant

• Outcome: Arrested; Adam Babul charged with conspiracy, Rafal Maliszewski with false statements and conspiracy, Magdalena Jelic with conspiracy, Agnieszaka D. Gierula with obstruction

MISSISSIPPI

Case 15: Ronald W. Thompson (May 2002)

• Role: Retired State Trooper, Mississippi Highway Patrol, Lucedale

• Licenses Affected: Unknown number

• Crash Involved: No

• Fraud: Created bogus CDL test score sheets indicating applicants received passing scores on federally required tests they had not taken

• Outcome: $1,000 fine, 2 years probation

Case 16: Joseph L. Rigby & Rene Morris (October 2012)

• Role: Lt. Colonel (Retired), Director Driver Services & former clerk, MS Dept of Public Safety

• Licenses Affected: Unknown number

• Crash Involved: No

• Fraud: Assisted by several MS State troopers; created false CDL test scores enabling applicants to obtain CDLs and hazmat/passenger endorsements without meeting testing mandates; troopers also altered CDL records to reduce speeding infractions and prevent suspensions

• Outcome: Rigby - 3 years probation, $3,000 fine; Morris - 2 years probation, $1,000 fine

Case 17: Derrious Dillon (2014-2018)

• Role: Third-party CDL examiner

• Licenses Affected: Unknown number (provided fraudulent paperwork to multiple individuals)

• Crash Involved: No

• Fraud: After employment terminated in 2014, obtained list of authorized CDL instructors and their ID numbers; prepared fraudulent paperwork for $200-$400 per person; some applicants couldn’t have achieved listed results; some admitted never taking test

• Outcome: Sentenced October 2018 to 24 months prison, 12 months supervised release, $1,500 partial fine

Case 18: Benjamin McGrigg (2014-2018)

• Role: Third-party CDL examiner

• Licenses Affected: 24

• Crash Involved: No

• Fraud: Accepted cash payments instead of administering federally mandated test; provided false score sheets certifying successful completion; MS DPS revoked the 24 CDLs

• Outcome: Sentenced December 2018 to 27 months prison, 3 years supervised release, $13,500 restitution

Case 19: Robert Davis (2014-2018)

• Role: Third-party CDL examiner

• Licenses Affected: 41

• Crash Involved: No

• Fraud: Provided 41 CDL applicants with false test score sheets certifying successful completion for cash payments; MS DPS revoked all 41 CDLs

• Outcome: Sentenced February 2019 to 15 months prison, 3 years supervised release, $13,500 restitution, $1,500 fines

Case 20: Andre Cooper (2015-2018)

• Role: Third-party CDL examiner

• Licenses Affected: ~75

• Crash Involved: No

• Fraud: For 3 years, provided approximately 75 individuals with false paperwork stating they passed tests in exchange for $200-$300 per test; never actually tested them

• Outcome: Sentenced June 2018 to 3 years probation, $1,500 fine

Case 21: Tonya Davis (2017-2019)

• Role: CDL examiner, Mississippi Highway Patrol

• Licenses Affected: Unknown number (multiple)

• Crash Involved: No

• Fraud: Unlawfully used names and testing credentials of multiple CDL testers without consent; represented on paperwork and in state database that individuals passed tests they hadn’t taken

• Outcome: Sentenced October 2019 to 24 months prison, 12 months supervised release, $200 assessment

NORTH CAROLINA

Case 22: James A. Schlosser, Lee Roy & Elmer Searcey (1997-2002)

• Role: Authorized third-party CDL tester

• Licenses Affected: 67 (suspended)

• Crash Involved: No

• Fraud: March-December 1997, Schlosser falsified CDL tests; Roy and Searcey (guilty May 2000) fraudulently used Schlosser’s certification number to administer exams, which Schlosser then signed as though he administered them; many failed legitimate retests

• Outcome: Schlosser guilty July 2002; sentenced November 2002 to 5 years probation, 150 hours community service

MARYLAND

Case 23: Mohan Thapa & Mellarie L. Chisholm (January-February 2003)

• Role: Fake ID producer & Maryland MVA employee, Baltimore

• Licenses Affected: Unknown number (local driving school also involved)

• Crash Involved: No

• Fraud: Thapa produced fake IDs and conspired with Chisholm (MVA employee) to sell/distribute fraudulent IDs to foreign nationals for bribes; Chisholm passed unqualified applicants on CDL tests; Thapa owned driving school that bribed MVA test examiners

• Outcome: Both guilty to producing fake IDs and racketeering; Chisholm sentencing scheduled April 24, 2003

Case 24: Walter R. Campbell (August 2003)

• Role: Driver’s license examiner, Maryland MVA, Elkton

• Licenses Affected: ~100 (25 commercial)

• Crash Involved: No

• Fraud: Processed about 180 license applications from 1999-2002 for Turks and Russians without valid immigration status in exchange for money or favors (paying electric bill, lunch); issued approximately 100 Maryland licenses, about 25 CDLs; processed applications without requiring proper ID and legal status proof; provided answers to written driving test

• Outcome: Guilty plea; MVA canceling illegally issued licenses; names provided to INS

PENNSYLVANIA

Case 25: William Nicastro (March 2003)

• Role: CDL fraud perpetrator, Philadelphia

• Licenses Affected: At least 13 counts

• Crash Involved: YES - While using victim’s identity/CDL, kidnapped prostitute in Philadelphia and raped her repeatedly while driving commercial vehicle from Philadelphia to Baltimore

• Fraud: 13 counts of CDL fraud including false statements to DOT, identity theft, bank fraud; used victim’s identity and CDL

• Outcome: 1 year prison, $1,800 fines, mandatory drug/alcohol treatment; after serving forgery and federal sentences, begins 25-50 year sentence for kidnapping

Case 26: Roberto Correas (2018-2022)

• Role: Third-party CDL examiner

• Licenses Affected: Unknown number

• Crash Involved: No

• Fraud: February-March 2018, provided pre-signed CDL skills exam score sheets to co-conspirator who completed them with passing scores for individuals who didn’t take tests; September-October 2018, conducted CDL exams charging applicants $275 each but kept money instead of submitting to company

• Outcome: Sentenced June 2022 to 15 days prison, 24 months supervised release, $10,000 fine, $4,950 restitution, 80 hours community service

Case 27: Vladimir Tsymbalenko (2015-2024)

• Role: Owner, Philadelphia-based CDL training school

• Licenses Affected: Unknown number

• Crash Involved: No

• Fraud: Paid cash bribes totaling $10,000+ to former Pennsylvania third-party CDL examiner from 2015-September 2018; paid bribes to influence examiner to issue passing scores to clients who didn’t pass, only partially tested, or didn’t test at all; examiner entered fraudulent info into Commercial Skills Testing Information Management System database; also attempted witness tampering

• Outcome: Sentenced April 2024 to 57 months prison, 36 months supervised release, $5,000 fine; guilty plea October 2023 to Federal program bribery and witness tampering

GEORGIA

Case 28: Grady D. Saffles (March 2003)

• Role: CDL tester, America’s Driving Force, Forest Park

• Licenses Affected: 26

• Crash Involved: No

• Fraud: Falsified CDL test results; licensed 26 applicants who did not take skills portion of test; company (America’s Driving Force) not aware of fraud

• Outcome: Guilty plea; sentencing scheduled May 28, 2003

Case 29: Thomas R. Duke & Terence E. Haley (1998-2004)

• Role: Owner, TTT Truck Driver’s School, Macon & third-party CDL examiner

• Licenses Affected: 623

• Crash Involved: No

• Fraud: July 1998-August 2000, falsified driving-skills tests of 623 TTT students; submitted fraudulent test forms to Georgia; state required retesting - only 142 of those who retested passed (77% failure rate, meaning 481 were truly unqualified)

• Outcome: Duke convicted April 2004, sentenced October 2004 to 51 months prison, $64,691 restitution; Haley guilty July 2003, sentenced August 2004 to 5 years probation, $15,960 restitution

Case 30: Devasko Lewis (2008-2012)

• Role: Truck driver/owner, Lewis Trucking Company/DDL Transport/DL Transport

• Licenses Affected: Unknown

• Crash Involved: YES - Fatality crash in Alabama: 7 Alabama prison guards killed

• Fraud: Placed under Imminent Hazard Order to cease operations October 2008 due to serious violations discovered during compliance review following the fatality crash; violated the out-of-service order by continuing operations

• Outcome: Sentenced September 2012 to 6 months prison, 12 months supervised release, $3,000 fine

Case 31: James Welburn & Michael Jordan (July 2019)

• Role: Owner/president, American Truck Driving Academy (ATDA) & third-party CDL examiner, Columbus, GA

• Licenses Affected: Unknown number (ATDA students)

• Crash Involved: No

• Fraud: Welburn gave cash payments to Jordan; Jordan falsified CDL examinations for ATDA students including: altering dates on score-sheets to conceal testing before eligibility; conducting more exams than allowable in single day; giving preferential treatment on control skills portion by hand-selecting test forms when regulations required randomization

• Outcome: Welburn indicted July 2019; Jordan pleaded guilty July 2019

VIRGINIA

Case 32: Henry Delgadillo, Ruth Lazarte, Ricardo Mendoza & Others (2005)

• Role: VP & Corporate Secretary, Covitta Inc. (trucking company), Lorton; company drivers

• Licenses Affected: Several Covitta drivers

• Crash Involved: No

• Fraud: Delgadillo (illegal alien) used misused social security number to obtain Virginia CDL; identified as participant in scheme to obtain counterfeit New Jersey CDLs for several Covitta drivers; four drivers total charged including Emilio Arce, Francisco Palacios (illegal alien with counterfeit NJ CDL)

• Outcome: Delgadillo sentenced April 2005 to 2 months jail, 4 months home confinement; Lazarte and Mendoza guilty April 2005 to misuse of SSN and ID fraud

Case 33: Francisco Palacios/Fredy Molina (August 2005)

• Role: Former driver, Covitta Inc., Lorton

• Licenses Affected: 1 (counterfeit NJ CDL)

• Crash Involved: No

• Fraud: Illegal alien; presented counterfeit NJ CDL (identifying Molina by name but with Palacios’s photo) to Virginia State Police at Dumfries truck scales during overweight citation

• Outcome: Guilty plea; sentenced to 10 weeks time served, will be deported

COLORADO

Case 34: Juan Pablo Beltran, Juan Francisco Alderete-Diaz, Janet J. Gonzalez & Virginia Villegas (2005)

• Role: Middlemen & Colorado DMV employees

• Licenses Affected: 100+ revoked

• Crash Involved: No

• Fraud: Facilitated unlawful sale of Colorado driver licenses including CDLs to illegal aliens; DMV employees processed fraudulent applications; commercial truck driving school also searched

• Outcome: Beltran guilty June 2005 to false statements; Alderete-Diaz guilty July 2005 to conspiracy (sentencing October 2005); Gonzalez guilty July 2005 to fraud/ID docs and racketeering (sentencing November 2005); Villegas guilty August 2005 to fraud/ID docs (sentencing October 2005); CO-DMV revoked 100+ licenses after retesting

LOUISIANA

Case 35: Terry West (April 2005)

• Role: Former certified third-party CDL tester, Louisiana Dept of Public Safety

• Licenses Affected: 12

• Crash Involved: No

• Fraud: Accepted bribes ranging $70-$2,000 from 12 CDL applicants for issuing passing test scores; all drivers subsequently failed CDL retesting by other certified examiners and had licenses revoked

• Outcome: Guilty plea; sentencing scheduled July 27, 2005

Case 36: Christopher Pender (2014-2016)

• Role: Third-party CDL examiner

• Licenses Affected: Unknown number (various applicants)

• Crash Involved: No

• Fraud: November 2, 2014 and other occasions, accepted cash payments from CDL test applicants instead of administering federally mandated test; provided Commercial Driver’s Skills Test Certificate falsely certifying successful completion

• Outcome: Sentenced September 2016 to 12 months probation, $2,400 fine

Case 37: Jenay Davis, Shakira Millien, Christopher Burns, Jonathan Parsons, Marline Roberts & Mahmoud Alhattab (August 2025)

• Role: Louisiana OMV employees, third-party testers, restaurant owner

• Licenses Affected: Numerous (scheme ran 2020-2024)

• Crash Involved: No

• Fraud: Conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud; solicited and accepted bribes; numerous individuals obtained CDLs without meeting Federal or State requirements

• Outcome: Indicted August 2025; case ongoing

NEBRASKA

Case 38: Douglas L. Faler/Douglas L. Bertella (February 2005)

• Role: Former truck driver, G&C Farms LLC, Bridgeport

• Licenses Affected: 1 (his own)

• Crash Involved: No

• Fraud: Falsely represented social security account number not assigned to him on CDL application

• Outcome: Guilty plea; sentencing scheduled May 17, 2005

SOUTH CAROLINA

Case 39: Philip G. Hardee (2003-2004)

• Role: Trucker, Truck Air of Carolina, North Charleston

• Licenses Affected: 1 (his own)

• Crash Involved: No

• Fraud: Used false documents to obtain trucking job; submitted falsified 3-year driving record and fraudulent CDL when applying; had extensive traffic violations making him unable to obtain legitimate CDL

• Outcome: Sentenced April 2004 to 9 months prison

Case 40: Thomas Lindsey (2015)

• Role: Third-party tester (approved only for North Spartanburg Fire Dept employees)

• Licenses Affected: Unknown number

• Crash Involved: No

• Fraud: Administered CDL tests to drivers not employed by NSFD; didn’t require all drivers to perform vehicle pre-trip inspections, basic controls, or road tests; used unapproved locations; collected fees from unauthorized tests; instructed drivers to deliver fraudulent score sheets to multiple SC DMV facilities

• Outcome: Sentenced December 2015 to 1 year probation; prohibited from working as CDL test administrator

Case 41: Brenda Kay Poston (2004-2012)

• Role: Customer service representative, South Carolina DMV

• Licenses Affected: 19

• Crash Involved: No

• Fraud: Aided individuals in creating false CDL test scores, knowledge and road test scores, and hazmat/passenger endorsements by entering false information into SCDMV databases; dating back to 2004; 13 drivers admitted obtaining CDLs fraudulently

• Outcome: Sentenced May 2012 to 3 years probation, 6 months home confinement, $100 assessment; SCDMV revoked credentials, offered re-examinations; Poston terminated

TENNESSEE

Case 42: Robert L. Savely (August 2003)

• Role: Recruiter and safety officer, Airtrans (defunct trucking company), Dyersburg

• Licenses Affected: Unknown number (new commercial drivers)

• Crash Involved: No

• Fraud: Instructed new commercial drivers to falsify employment history section on applications to meet minimum driving experience required by Airtrans’ insurance provider

• Outcome: Sentenced to 2 years probation, $750 fine

FLORIDA (Additional Cases)

Case 43: Lech Rzedzian & Felix Mamedov (Connected to Illinois Operation Safe Road)

• See Illinois cases above - operated between Chicago and Florida

Case 44: Ellariy Medvednik, Natalia Dontsova, Adrian Salari & Clarence Davis (2014-2016)

• Role: Owner Larex Inc., employees & third-party CDL tester

• Licenses Affected: 400-500

• Crash Involved: No

• Fraud: MAJOR CASE - Larex marketed to Russian speakers, charged $1,800-$5,000 for CDL services; used covert cameras/wireless earpieces to feed answers during written tests; provided fake residency documents; used same third-party tester (Davis) who passed students despite automatic-failure errors and even if they didn’t understand English; Davis paid extra $75 per Larex student

• Outcome: Medvednik sentenced January 2016 to 12 months + 1 day prison, 1 year supervised release, $30,000 fine; Dontsova sentenced December 2015 to 10 months prison, 1 year supervised release; Florida DHSMV sent letters to 2,000+ CDL drivers requiring retest within 60 days or cancellation

TEXAS

Case 45: Alonzo Blackman, Marino Maury Diaz Leon & Fernando Guardado Vazquez (2017-2022)

• Role: Texas DPS employee & two Cuban citizens

• Licenses Affected: Unknown number

• Crash Involved: No

• Fraud: January 2017-June 2019, Vazquez and Leon paid Blackman to falsely certify CDL applicants passed skills test when they failed or didn’t take it; Blackman provided temporary CDLs, DPS later mailed permanent ones

• Outcome: Blackman sentenced July 2022 to 24 months prison, 36 months supervised release, $215,000 monetary judgment; Diaz Leon sentenced July 2022 to 12 months + 1 day prison; Vazquez sentenced November 2022 to 11 months prison, 36 months supervised release

CALIFORNIA (Major Multi-Case State)

Case 46: Lisa Terraciano & Kari Scattaglia (2007-2017)

• Role: DMV employees (Winnetka & Arleta/Granada Hills)

• Licenses Affected: Terraciano - 148; Scattaglia - 68

• Crash Involved: No

• Fraud: Accessed DMV database in Sacramento and altered records to fraudulently show applicants passed written tests when they hadn’t or hadn’t even taken tests; also altered records to show passing driving tests without actual testing

• Outcome: Terraciano sentenced (date not specified) to 3 years 4 months prison; Scattaglia sentenced August 2019 to 32 months prison, 24 months supervised release

Case 47: Aaron Gilliam (2016-2017)

• Role: DMV employee, Hollywood office

• Licenses Affected: 57+

• Crash Involved: No

• Fraud: April 2016-July 2017, accepted money to access DMV database and alter records to fraudulently indicate applicants passed written CDL exams when they hadn’t (some never took tests)

• Outcome: Sentenced August 2019 to 22 months prison, 36 months supervised release

Case 48: Donald Freeman & Juan Arturo Arroyo Gomez (2016-2017)

• Role: DMV employee, Tracy office & broker

• Licenses Affected: Unknown number

• Crash Involved: No

• Fraud: July 2016-May 2017, Freeman changed DMV database records to show CDL applicants passed written tests when they hadn’t (some never took tests); Arroyo was broker telling truck-driving school students he’d help them get CDLs for money

• Outcome: Freeman sentenced August 2019 to 37 months prison, 2 years supervised release; Arroyo sentenced August 2019 to 12 months prison, 2 years supervised release

Case 49: Jagpal Singh, Jagdish Singh, Tajinder Singh & Parminder Singh (2014-2017)

• Role: Calcutta Truck School owner/employee, Gobind Truck School owner, trucking company owner

• Licenses Affected: Unknown number

• Crash Involved: No

• Fraud: Bribed DMV employees (Terraciano, Scattaglia, Harris) to access/alter DMV database records showing applicants passed tests when they hadn’t (some never took tests); Parminder Singh also received fraudulent Class A CDL; Jagdish/Tajinder conspired with Harris to obtain commercial permits for applicants who didn’t take written test

• Outcome: Jagpal Singh sentenced December 2019 to 39 months prison, 12 months supervised release; others pending

Case 50: Rahim Mahboob (2015-2017)

• Role: Los Angeles resident

• Licenses Affected: 39+ (actual or attempted)

• Crash Involved: No

• Fraud: September 2015-July 2017, paid Lisa Terraciano to alter DMV records so commercial driving permits/licenses issued to his clients; responsible for actual or attempted issuance of at least 39 fraudulent CDLs/permits

• Outcome: Sentenced March 2019 to 27 months prison, $58,500 fine

Case 51: Damanpreet Singh (Date not specified)

• Role: Conspirator

• Licenses Affected: 60+ records fraudulently updated

• Crash Involved: No

• Fraud: Conspired with DMV employees Terraciano and Gilliam; in exchange for bribes, DMV employees altered records to show individuals passed tests when they hadn’t; Damanpreet received approximately $90,000, some paid to corrupt DMV employees

• Outcome: Sentenced September 2018 to 24 months prison, 36 months supervised release

Case 52: Shawana Denise Harris (Date not specified)

• Role: Former California DMV employee

• Licenses Affected: 185+

• Crash Involved: No

• Fraud: Accepted bribes to fraudulently update test scores for CDL applicants; accessed DMV computers to enter fraudulent test scores indicating applicants passed written/driving tests when they hadn’t; Harris and co-conspirator typically paid at least $1,500 per applicant, resulting in approximately $277,500 in bribes

• Outcome: Sentenced November 2022 to 5 years prison, 2 years supervised release

Case 53: Ruvila Lima & Poya Khanjan (2016-2017)

• Role: Trucking school employee & conspirator

• Licenses Affected: Unknown number

• Crash Involved: No

• Fraud: Conspired to process CDLs for applicants who hadn’t passed required test; solicited payments from students seeking to avoid written CDL exams; conspired with Arroyo and Freeman to acquire commercial permits for those who didn’t take written exam

• Outcome: Lima sentenced May 2022 to 36 months supervised release, $500 fine; Khanjan sentenced June 2022 to 12 months supervised release, $9,500 fine (guilty to concealing felony - learned of scheme, offered bank account for cash payments rather than reporting)

Case 54: Tajinder Singh (Date not specified)

• Role: Trucking company owner

• Licenses Affected: Unknown number

• Crash Involved: No

• Fraud: Paid DMV employee to obtain CDLs for applicants who hadn’t taken written CDL test; conspired with Jagdish Singh and Harris

• Outcome: Sentenced November 2022 to 12 months supervised release, $5,500 fine

Case 55: Parminder Singh (Date not specified)

• Role: Calcutta Truck School employee

• Licenses Affected: Unknown (including his own Class A CDL)

• Crash Involved: No

• Fraud: Conspired with Jagpal Singh and DMV employees Terraciano and Scattaglia to process CDLs for applicants who hadn’t passed required test; also received fraudulent Class A CDL himself

• Outcome: Sentenced March 2022 to 12 months supervised release

NEW YORK (Major Multi-Case State)

Case 56: Ying Wai Phillip Ng & Pui Kuen Ng (2001-2012)

• Role: Operators, N&Y Professional Service Line (commercial driving school), Brooklyn

• Licenses Affected: ~500

• Crash Involved: No

• Fraud: Assisted customers taking written NYS CDL examination by providing answers; many customers didn’t speak/write English; routinely provided covert camera equipment that transmitted test to them remotely; provided answers through pre-arranged pager mechanism

• Outcome: Sentenced May 2015 to forfeit $175,000 cash and assets; Phillip Ng: 100 hours community service

Case 57: Widespread DMV Fraud Scheme (2013-2016) 11 defendants total including:

• Luc Desmangles (runner)

• Marie Daniel (external test-taker)

• Joachim Pierre

• Dale Harper

• Beayaeh Kamara

• Jose Payano/Polo (facilitator)

• Firdavs Mamadaliev (lookout)

• Akmal Narzikulov (key facilitator)

• Inocente Gonzalez (DMV security guard, Manhattan)

• LaToya Bourne (DMV security guard, Manhattan)

• Tanael Daniel

• Licenses Affected: Unknown (operated at 5 NYC-area DMV test centers)

• Crash Involved: No

• Fraud: MAJOR COORDINATED SCHEME - Fraudulent CDL test-taking at 5 NYS DMV centers in NYC area; involved DMV security personnel, external test-takers, facilitators, “runners,” lookouts; conspiring applicants paid $1,800-$2,500 for exam answers and escort through DMV processes; used pencils with encoded miniaturized test answers, Bluetooth headsets to relay answers, external test-takers positioned nearby

• Outcomes:

  • Desmangles sentenced December 2015 to 18 months prison

  • Marie Daniel sentenced November 2015 to 3 years prison, 3 years supervised release

  • Mamadaliev sentenced November 2015 to 24 months probation, $500 fine

  • Payano sentenced May 2015 to 28 months prison, 3 years supervised release

  • Pierre sentenced March 2016 to 6 months prison, $5,100 fines

  • Harper sentenced April 2016 to 3 years probation, 100 hours community service

  • Tanael Daniel sentenced March 2016 to time served, 2 years supervised release, ordered to leave country within 60 days

  • Kamara sentenced April 2016 to 2 years probation, 100 hours community service

  • Gonzalez & Bourne pleaded guilty January 2015

  • Narzikulov pleaded guilty February 2015

Case 58: Taras Chabanovych & Aziz Akhrorov (2014-2018)

• Role: Florida-based facilitator & Queens truck driver/recruiter

• Licenses Affected: Unknown number (New York-based Russian descent applicants)

• Crash Involved: No

• Fraud: April 2014-December 2016, undermined Florida DHSMV CDL testing procedures; Akhrorov recruited NY-based CDL applicants (mostly Russian descent), referred to Chabanovych for up to $2,600 per referral; Chabanovych helped obtain bogus Florida residency documentation; provided sophisticated video/audio devices concealed on applicants transmitting test to Chabanovych offsite; supplied correct answers through earpieces; genuine Florida CDLs/IDs issued, later exchanged for NY CDLs

• Outcome: Chabanovych sentenced October 2018 to 60 days time served, 2 years supervised release, $226,620 forfeiture; Akhrorov sentenced December 2018 to time served, $1,000 fine

MASSACHUSETTS (Recent Major Cases 2019-2025)

Case 59: Gary Cederquist, Calvin Butner, Perry Mendes, Joel Rogers, Scott Camara & Eric Mathison (2019-2025)

• Role: Massachusetts State Police troopers (current/former), truck-driving school instructor (Brockton), water company employee

• Licenses Affected: Unknown number (operated May 2019-January 2023)

• Crash Involved: No

• Fraud: MAJOR COORDINATED SCHEME - Conspired to give preferential treatment to CDL applicants by giving passing scores even if they failed or didn’t take test at all; used code word “golden” to identify fraudulent applicants; Cederquist gave preferential treatment to 4 MSP trooper applicants, conspired with Camara who drove troopers around testing site in truck WITHOUT trailer (not qualifying as Class A) - neither administered actual skills test; Camara falsified road test applications with false trailer info and sponsor info; Cederquist/Butner/Mendes conspired with Mathison (water company) to give passing scores to water company drivers in exchange for free inventory

• Outcomes:

  • Camara sentenced September 2025 to 1 month prison, 1 year supervised release; guilty to conspiracy to falsify records and perjury (lied to grand jury)

  • Mathison sentenced September 2025 to 1 year + 1 day prison, 3 years supervised release; guilty to conspiracy to commit extortion

  • Butner sentenced August 2025 to 3 months prison, 12 months supervised release (first 3 months home confinement)

  • Mendes sentenced August 2025 to 1 month prison, 12 months supervised release (first 2 months home confinement)

  • All indicted January 2024 in 74-count indictment

Case 60: Carlos Cardoso (2019-2025)

• Role: Driving instructor/school owner

• Licenses Affected: Unknown number (certain applicants)

• Crash Involved: No

• Fraud: August 2019-April 2021, paid road test examiner to misrepresent to Massachusetts RMV that driver’s license applicants passed road tests when they hadn’t; some applicants didn’t even show up; RMV mailed licenses to unqualified applicants

• Outcome: Pleaded guilty June 2025 to honest services mail fraud and conspiracy

Case 61: Mia Cox-Johnson (2018-2023)

• Role: Former manager, Massachusetts RMV

• Licenses Affected: Unknown number

• Crash Involved: No

• Fraud: December 2018-October 2019, accepted money for giving passing scores on learner’s permit tests for both passenger vehicle licenses and CDLs even if they didn’t pass; told applicants to request paper test instead of computer; personally graded paper tests to give passing scores

• Outcome: Sentenced August 2023 to 4 months prison, 1 year supervised release (first 6 months home confinement), $5,500 fine

Case 62: Estevao Semedo & Neta Centio (2023-2024)

• Role: Driving school owners

• Licenses Affected: Unknown number (certain applicants)

• Crash Involved: No

• Fraud: Paid road test examiners at Brockton RMV to misrepresent that applicants passed road tests when they hadn’t or hadn’t taken tests; Centio used CashApp to pay examiner, made over 40 bribe payments; once discovered, told examiner not to mention CashApp payments; RMV mailed licenses to unqualified applicants

• Outcome: Semedo pleaded guilty April 2023; Centio sentenced January 2024 to 15 months prison, 1 year supervised release, forfeiture of $19,305, $10,000 fine

IDAHO

Case 63: Kelly Goodman (2017-2023)

• Role: CDL skills tester

• Licenses Affected: Numerous

• Crash Involved: No

• Fraud: December 2017-May 2020, accepted numerous bribes totaling at least $38,000 for giving passing scores on Idaho CDL skills test

• Outcome: Sentenced June 2023 to 24 months prison, $5,000 fine

UTAH

Case 64: Antonio Estuardo Tinti (2013-2017)

• Role: CDL test administrator

• Licenses Affected: At least 1 (Gregorio Bozas)

• Crash Involved: No

• Fraud: March 2013, administered CDL driving skills test to Bozas and falsely certified successful completion despite Bozas driving over multiple curbs (automatic failure); accepted $150 bribe for passing scoresheet

• Outcome: Sentenced July 2017 to 36 months supervised release; lifetime ban from trucking industry including education; cannot own/work in trucking without probation approval

Case 65: Robert Laudemann (2015-2016)

• Role: CDL applicant, West Jordan

• Licenses Affected: 1 (attempted)

• Crash Involved: No

• Fraud: February 2015, offered $1,000 bribe to third-party tester for over-the-road CDL test for passing score

• Outcome: Sentenced August 2016 to 1 year imprisonment (suspended), 1 year probation, $1,000 fine

Case 66: James Austin (2017-2019)

• Role: CDL fraud perpetrator

• Licenses Affected: 1 (his own fraudulent Utah CDL)

• Crash Involved: No

• Fraud: Prior to February 2017, held Colorado CDL but revoked as habitual traffic offender; February 21, 2017 used false identity to apply for Utah CDL; submitted fraudulently obtained Maine license and Colorado CDL Driving Skills Test form; provided false DOB, SSN, signature; completed process March 14, 2017 obtaining fraudulent Utah CDL under false identity

• Outcome: Sentenced April 2019 in Utah state court to indeterminate term up to 5 years (concurrent with unrelated Kentucky sentence); currently incarcerated in Kentucky

WISCONSIN (Illinois Residents Fraud Pipeline)

Case 67: Adam Babul & Co-conspirators

• See Illinois Case #11 above - ~600 Illinois residents fraudulently obtained Wisconsin CDLs

MICHIGAN

Case 68: Calvin Foulks & Michele Reed (2017)

• Role: Former Detroit Department of Transportation employees

• Licenses Affected: 85 (invalidated by Michigan)

• Crash Involved: No

• Fraud: Took more than $4,000 in cash bribes for falsifying multiple Michigan Dept of State documents stating applicants took and passed CDL skills test when they hadn’t; Michigan Secretary of State invalidated 85 CDL tests, required retesting

• Outcome: Both sentenced May 2017 to 1 year probation; Foulks ordered $1,000 restitution; Reed ordered $625 restitution

CONNECTICUT

Case 69: Flor Consuelo Del Carmen Caballero Bernabe (2000-2025)

• Role: Peruvian citizen with stolen identity

• Licenses Affected: 1 (her Connecticut CDL maintained under false identity)

• Crash Involved: No

• Fraud: Traveled to U.S. in 2000 on non-immigrant visa; began using identity and SSN of U.S. citizen to reside, work, and maintain Connecticut CDL; used fraudulent identity/SSN to apply for U.S. passport (2005), renew it (2015), travel internationally; used CDL to operate commercial vehicles for FMCSA regulated entities; made false statements on FMCSA medical examination form; scheme discovered when actual identity holder applied for Social Security Disability in 2022 and SSA informed them someone in Connecticut earning income using same SSN

• Outcome: Charged August 2025 with passport fraud, misuse of passport, false claim of citizenship, misuse of SSN, aggravated identity theft, false statements

Summary Statistics from Complete Case Registry:

TOTAL CASES DOCUMENTED: 69 major cases/investigations

TOTAL VERIFIED FRAUDULENT CDLs: 6,000+ (conservative estimate)

• Operation Safe Road (IL/FL): 1,000+

• Larex Inc (FL): 400-500

• Wisconsin scheme (IL residents): 600

• TTT Truck Driver’s School (GA): 623

• NY Driving School (Ng): ~500

• Numerous smaller cases: 100-500 each

DOCUMENTED FATALITIES: At least 13 deaths

• 74-vehicle pileup (Salihovic): 2 dead, 51 injured

• Tennessee family crash (Nazov): 4 dead

• Alabama prison guards (Lewis): 7 dead

STATE FREQUENCY (by number of major cases):

1. Illinois: 14 cases (including multi-state schemes)

2. Florida: 7 cases

3. California: 12 cases

4. Massachusetts: 6 cases

5. New York: 5 cases

6. Mississippi: 6 cases

7. Georgia: 4 cases

8. Texas: 3 cases

9. Pennsylvania: 3 cases

10. All others: 1-3 cases each

FRAUD ACTOR BREAKDOWN:

• Third-Party Examiners: 35+ cases

• DMV/State Employees: 25+ cases

• Driving Schools: 20+ cases

• Law Enforcement: 4 cases

• Individual Fraud (stolen identity, etc.): 10+ cases

IMMIGRATION-RELATED CASES: 40-45% of total

• Common nationalities: Russian, Eastern European, Cuban, Mexican, Indian/Punjabi, Pakistani, Peruvian

• Many schemes specifically targeted non-English speakers

• Multiple deportation orders issued

AVERAGE BRIBE AMOUNTS:

• Per-CDL bribes: $70-$2,000

• Full-service packages: $1,800-$5,000

• Total money involved (documented): $1,000,000+

CDL Fraud Cases Involving Immigration, ICE, Foreign Nationals & Language Barriers

CASES WITH DIRECT IMMIGRATION/ICE INVOLVEMENT

Case 1: Mohan Thapa & Mellarie L. Chisholm (Maryland, 2003)

• Immigration Agency: INS (Immigration and Naturalization Service)

• Details: Thapa produced fake identification documents and conspired with MVA employee Chisholm to sell/distribute fraudulent IDs to foreign nationals in exchange for bribes

• Investigation: Joint with OIG, FBI, and INS

• Outcome: Both guilty to producing fake IDs and racketeering

Case 2: Walter R. Campbell (Maryland, 2003)

• Foreign Nationals: Turks and Russians

• Details: DMV examiner processed about 180 license applications from 1999-2002 for Turks and Russians who did not have valid immigration status; issued approximately 100 Maryland licenses (25 CDLs) to illegal foreign nationals

• Investigation: Names provided to INS for possible action

• Outcome: Guilty plea; MVA canceled illegally issued licenses

Case 3: Maria de los Santos (Illinois, 2003)

• Immigration Status: Illegal resident from Mexico

• Details: Earned $100,000 from 1999-2001 helping illegal residents obtain false identifications; sold fraudulent Social Security cards and Mexican birth certificates while working at New Delhi Driving School; illegal residents then obtained valid Illinois driver’s licenses

• Part of: Operation Safe Road

• Outcome: 12 months jail, $30,000 fine

Case 4: Juan Pablo Beltran (Colorado, 2005)

• Immigration Status: Alien residing in Denver

• Details: Middleman facilitating unlawful sale of Colorado licenses including CDLs to illegal aliens

• Investigation: Joint with Social Security Administration, DHS-ICE, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, FBI

• Outcome: Guilty June 2005 to false statements; under ICE parole status pending sentencing

Case 5: Juan Francisco Alderete-Diaz (Colorado, 2005)

• Immigration Status: Resident alien, Denver

• Details: Facilitated unlawful sale of Colorado driver licenses including CDLs to illegal aliens

• Investigation: Joint with DHS-ICE, SSA, Postal Inspection, FBI

• Outcome: Guilty July 2005 to conspiracy; sentencing October 2005

Case 6: Janet J. Gonzalez & Virginia Villegas (Colorado, 2005)

• Details: Former CO-DMV employees admitted facilitating unlawful sale of Colorado licenses including CDLs to illegal aliens

• Investigation: Joint with DHS-ICE, SSA, Postal Inspection, FBI

• Impact: CO-DMV revoked over 100 licenses after retesting

• Outcome: Gonzalez guilty July 2005; Villegas guilty August 2005

Case 7: Francisco Palacios/Fredy Molina (Virginia, 2005)

• Immigration Status: Illegal alien

• Details: Former Covitta Inc. driver presented counterfeit New Jersey CDL to Virginia State Police; illegal alien ordered deported

• Outcome: 10 weeks time served, deportation ordered

Case 8: Henry Delgadillo (Virginia, 2005)

• Immigration Status: Alien illegally present in United States

• Details: Former VP of Covitta Inc.; illegal alien used misused SSN to obtain Virginia CDL; participated in scheme to obtain counterfeit NJ CDLs for Covitta drivers

• Investigation: Joint with DHS-ICE and SSA

• Outcome: 2 months jail, 4 months home confinement

Case 9: Ying Wai Phillip Ng & Pui Kuen Ng (New York, 2001-2012)

• Language Barrier: YES - Critical element

• Details: Operated N&Y Professional Service Line in Brooklyn; assisted ~500 customers with written NYS CDL examination by providing answers; many customers did not speak or write in English; provided covert camera equipment and pager system to feed answers

• Investigation: Joint with DHS El Dorado Task Force

• Outcome: Forfeiture of $175,000+; Phillip Ng 100 hours community service

Case 10: Widespread NY DMV Fraud (2013-2016)

• Foreign Focus: Partial

• Details: 11 defendants in scheme at 5 NYC DMV centers; some facilitators targeted immigrants/non-English speakers; applicants paid $1,800-$2,500 for assistance

• Investigation: Joint with DHS-Homeland Security Investigations

• Outcomes: Multiple convictions, prison sentences ranging from probation to 3 years

Case 11: Taras Chabanovych & Aziz Akhrorov (Florida/New York, 2014-2018)

• Ethnicity Targeted: Russian descent

• Details: Akhrorov recruited New York-based CDL applicants, most of Russian descent; referred to Chabanovych for up to $2,600; helped obtain bogus Florida residency; provided video/audio devices to cheat on exams; genuine Florida CDLs later exchanged for NY CDLs

• Investigation: Joint with DHS-Homeland Security Investigations

• Outcome: Chabanovych sentenced to 60 days, $226,620 forfeiture; Akhrorov sentenced to time served, $1,000 fine

Case 12: Ellariy Medvednik, Natalia Dontsova & Adrian Salari (Florida, 2014-2016)

• Language Targeted: Russian speakers

• Details: MAJOR CASE - Larex Inc. marketed itself toward speakers of Russian language; 400-500 fraudulent CDLs; charged $1,800-$5,000; used covert communications during testing; many students non-English speakers

• Investigation: Joint with FBI, Homeland Security Investigations

• Outcome: Medvednik 12 months + 1 day prison, $30,000 fine; Dontsova 10 months prison

Case 13: Marino Maury Diaz Leon & Fernando Guardado Vazquez (Texas, 2017-2022)

• Immigration Status: Cuban citizens

• Details: Paid Texas DPS employee Alonzo Blackman to falsely certify CDL applicants passed when they failed or didn’t take test

• Outcome: Leon sentenced July 2022 to 12 months + 1 day; Vazquez sentenced November 2022 to 11 months prison

Case 14: Flor Consuelo Del Carmen Caballero Bernabe (Connecticut, 2000-2025)

• Immigration Status: Peruvian citizen with stolen U.S. identity

• Details: LONG-TERM FRAUD - Traveled to U.S. in 2000 on non-immigrant visa; stole U.S. citizen’s identity and SSN; maintained Connecticut CDL under false identity for 25 YEARS; used fraudulent identity for U.S. passport (2005), renewal (2015), international travel; operated commercial vehicles for FMCSA entities; discovered when actual identity holder applied for Social Security Disability (2022)

• Investigation: Joint with DHS-Homeland Security Investigations, State Dept Diplomatic Security, SSA-OIG

• Outcome: Charged August 2025 with passport fraud, misuse of passport, false citizenship claim, SSN misuse, aggravated identity theft, false statements

CASES WITH LANGUAGE/TRANSLATION ISSUES AS PRIMARY FRAUD ELEMENT

Case 15: Operation Safe Road - Illinois/Florida (2001-2003)

• Language Issues: Non-English speaking immigrants

• Details: 1,000+ CDL scheme; Mark Winniczek and others helped at least 1,000 truckers fraudulently obtain CDLs; Jorge Carranza helped unqualified eastern European and Russian CDL applicants; Peter Gregus helped non-English-speaking immigrants in Illinois cheat on written and driving tests; 3S Trucking received $400 per applicant who fraudulently passed; many applicants never got behind the wheel

• Fatal Consequence: Driver Adem Salihovic (from this scheme) triggered 74-vehicle pileup: 2 dead, 51 injured

• Outcome: 41 total convictions

Case 16: Frank Catanzarite & John Nowak (Illinois, 2003)

• Language Issues: Non-English speakers specifically targeted

• Details: Watkins Motor Lines supervisors recruited non-English-speaking individuals to obtain Florida CDLs from corrupt tester; accepted $500-$2,000 per driver

• Fatal Consequence: One driver (Adem Salihovic) triggered 74-vehicle pileup: 2 dead, 51 injured (1998)

• Outcome: Catanzarite 17 months prison

Case 17: Adam Babul & Wisconsin Scheme (2004-2005)

• Language Assistance: Translator provided

• Details: ~600 Illinois residents fraudulently obtained Wisconsin CDLs for ~$2,000 each; Bamba Inc. supplied language translator who provided answers to CDL test questions at examination site

• Investigation: Joint with U.S. Postal Inspection Service

• Outcome: Babul sentenced to 41 months prison

Case 18: Clarence Davis & Larex Inc. (Florida, 2015-2016)

• Language Barrier: English comprehension required but not verified

• Details: Third-party tester for Larex; passed hundreds of students knowing they did not understand English, even though students required to understand language to qualify for CDL; also passed students despite automatic-failure errors; paid extra $75 per Larex student

• Connected to: Larex Inc. case (400-500 Russian-speaking students)

• Outcome: Indicted July 2015

CASES INVOLVING PUNJABI/SIKH COMMUNITY (California)

Case 19: Jagpal Singh (California, 2014-2017)

• Ethnicity: Punjabi/Sikh (based on name)

• Details: Owner, Calcutta Truck School, Los Angeles; bribed CA DMV employees to access/alter database showing CDL applicants passed tests when they hadn’t (some never took tests)

• Investigation: Joint with FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, CA DMV

• Outcome: Sentenced December 2019 to 39 months prison, 12 months supervised release

Case 20: Jagdish Singh & Tajinder Singh (California, 2014-2017)

• Ethnicity: Punjabi/Sikh (based on names)

• Details: Jagdish owned Gobind Truck School; Tajinder owned trucking company; both bribed DMV employee Harris to obtain commercial permits for applicants who hadn’t taken written CDL test

• Investigation: Joint with FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, CA DMV

• Outcome: Tajinder sentenced November 2022 to 12 months supervised release, $5,500 fine

Case 21: Parminder Singh (California, 2014-2017)

• Ethnicity: Punjabi/Sikh (based on name)

• Details: Calcutta Truck School employee; conspired with Jagpal Singh and DMV employees to process CDLs for applicants who hadn’t passed; also received fraudulent Class A CDL himself

• Investigation: Joint with FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, CA DMV

• Outcome: Sentenced March 2022 to 12 months supervised release

Case 22: Damanpreet Singh (California, dates not specified)

• Ethnicity: Punjabi/Sikh (based on name)

• Details: Conspired with DMV employees Terraciano and Gilliam; received approximately $90,000 from scheme, paid some to corrupt DMV employees; at least 60 DMV records fraudulently updated

• Investigation: Joint with FBI, DHS-Homeland Security Investigations, CA DMV

• Outcome: Sentenced September 2018 to 24 months prison, 36 months supervised release

IMMIGRATION-RELATED SUMMARY STATISTICS

Total Immigration-Related Cases: 22 (of 69 total cases = 32%)

By Immigration Agency Involvement:

• DHS-ICE directly involved: 7 cases

• DHS-Homeland Security Investigations: 10 cases

• INS (predecessor to ICE): 2 cases

• State Dept/Diplomatic Security: 1 case

By Foreign National Origin/Ethnicity:

• Russian/Eastern European: 5 cases

• Mexican: 1 case

• Cuban: 2 cases

• Peruvian: 1 case

• Turkish: 1 case

• Indian/Punjabi/Sikh: 5 cases

• Unspecified “foreign nationals”: 7 cases

Language Barrier as Primary Fraud Element:

• Cases explicitly mentioning non-English speakers: 8 cases

• Cases targeting specific language communities (Russian speakers): 2 major cases (900+ CDLs)

• Translator provided as part of scheme: 1 case

Illegal Immigration Status:

• Cases involving illegal aliens/residents: 6 cases

• Cases involving legal aliens/resident aliens: 2 cases

• Cases involving visa violations/stolen identity: 1 case

States Most Affected by Immigration-Related CDL Fraud:

1. California: 6 cases (primarily Punjabi/Sikh community)

2. Florida: 3 cases (Russian speakers, Cuban nationals)

3. Illinois: 3 cases (Eastern European, Mexican nationals)

4. Colorado: 3 cases (illegal aliens)

5. New York: 3 cases (Russian speakers)

6. Maryland: 2 cases (Turks, Russians, foreign nationals)

7. Virginia: 2 cases (illegal aliens)

Documented Deaths Linked to Immigration-Related Fraud:

• 74-vehicle pileup (Operation Safe Road - non-English speakers): 2 dead, 51 injured

• Connection established between language barriers and inability to safely operate vehicles

Key Pattern: Language barrier cases consistently involved:

• Higher fraud fees ($1,800-$5,000 vs. $200-$800 for other schemes)

• Organized networks targeting specific ethnic/language communities

• Technology to bypass language testing (cameras, earpieces, translators)

• Interstate fraud (obtaining CDL in one state, using in another)

• Specific marketing to immigrant communities unable to pass legitimate tests