Eight face charges over Ontario commercial driver exam fraud

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Eight people are facing a combined 24 charges under the Criminal Code following an investigation into fraudulent activities linked to commercial driver examinations in Kingston, Ont., and the Greater Toronto Area.

At the request of the Ontario Ministry of Transportation, the Serious Fraud Office launched an investigation in January 2024 into suspected irregularities in the driver examination process for commercial Class A licenses, according to an Ontario Provincial Police news release.

According to investigators, the probe revealed that bribes were facilitated in exchange for favorable consideration during road tests for certain applicants.

Gavel and handcuffs on fingerprints: Arrest crime concept
(Photo: iStock)

The accused

Jaspal Benipal, 58, of Brampton, is charged with two counts, including secret commissions and conspiracy to commit an indictable offence.

Harmandeep Sudan, 40, of Brampton, faces two charges: secret commissions and conspiracy to commit an indictable offence.

Navdeep Grewal, 36, of Brampton, is charged with three offences: secret commissions, money laundering, and conspiracy to commit an indictable offence.

Vishnu Ayyamperumal Kumar, 36, of Oshawa, faces three charges including: secret commissions, conspiracy to commit an indictable offence, and breach of trust.

Victor Imade, 55, of Georgetown, is charged with three counts: secret commissions, conspiracy to commit an indictable offence, and breach of trust.

Imraan Jaffer, 43, of North York, faces three charges, including: secret commissions, conspiracy to commit an indictable offence, and breach of trust.

Craig Berry, 54, of Kingston, is charged with four offenses: secret commissions, money laundering, conspiracy to commit an indictable offence, and breach of trust.

Mandeep Manshahia, 34, of Caledon, faces four charges, including: secret commissions, money laundering, conspiracy to commit an indictable offence, and breach of trust.

The charges have not been proven in court. All accused were released from custody and are scheduled to appear before the Ontario Court of Justice in Toronto on Jan. 28.

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  • These people should be immediately deported. Just think about all of the damage from accidents these untrained drivers have caused. Twenty five years ago I had a driver take his trailer over the front of my brand new KW , he actually asked me if I would back his trailer in.

  • This is just another effect of mass immigration from a culture rooted in corruption. Too bad the Liberal government officials didn’t have the long term vision to understand the implications of their immigration strategy at the time they made it years ago.
    Please stay safe out there everyone, the roads are more dangerous now more than ever, especially with bribed semi-drivers.

  • I hope any students that were passed by these examiners are being recalled and retested? Any students that they passed and then were involved in crashes that caused injuries or deaths could these examiners be charged as accessories? There are likely some insurance companies that have paid out claims for cargo and vehicle damage that would like to meet these individuals if convicted? These types of fraud go so deep into the fabric of our industry and highway safety for everyone’s families.

  • Hooray, finally! I was a victim of this. It goes way deeper than these examiners. I was forced to do a drive test with one of these examiners named and charged. I NEVER even came close to the MELT 103.5 hrs that are required. I think the Transport Training Schools should be investigated as well. They are part of it all. Im in the complaint process right now and it is sickening how no one cares. I only had 13.5 hours of behind the wheel training and they said I was finished my training. MTO, please look into the schools.

  • Time to root out, charge and convict these unqualified drivers and those who fraudulently issue licences to them. Disgusting!

  • This has been going on for a long long time. I drive alot and have noticed how alot of truck drivers can not even maneuver up a small hill without slowing right down barely crawling up the hill. Knowing how to shift gears properly to make it up a hill shouldnt involve slowing down to 30-40km/hr to go up a small hill 7° slope stopping traffic to a crawl causing people to get anxious and pass the truck uphill causing an accident. Better training must be done to keep our roads safe for everyone.

    • We need to go back to the manual transmission and send these automatics to the scrap heap. At least with a manual transmission in the hands of someone that knows what they’re doing will climb that hill much easier.

  • 7 of 8 appear to be foreigners. I trust upon criminal conviction they will be permanently deported. We don’t want or need these people in our country.

  • Every single driver that passed their tests and was given a license under any of those eight should have to take again with a qualified MTO instructor. The eight should also be charged if any person they passed has caused any accident.
    Deport the ones who think they can corrupt the system.

  • This is not the only test that this type of criminality occurs . The car and van test is ripe with this behaviour too. This has been going on for decades

  • How about investigating the politicians who PRIVATIZED this work to these criminals. The reason given at the time of privatization was SAVING TAX DOLLARS. bob