Don’t mess with Uncle Sam: U.S. truckers guilty of fraud
BROOKLYN, NY- Two U.S. drivers have pleaded guilty in a fraudulent Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) test-taking scheme in late January and early February of 2015.
Conspiring CDL applicants paid between $1,800-$2,500 in return for CDL exam answers and escort assistance through DMV processes, the U.S. Department of Transportation claims.
Fraud schemes included the use of pencils containing miniaturized encoded test answers, the use of a Bluetooth headset as a communication device to relay CDL test answers, and the use of an external test-taker positioned nearby to take the exams.
Since October 2013, 11 drivers were indicted in connection with a widespread fraudulent CDL test-taking scheme in New York State.
As a result, the U.S. Department of Transportation, Department of Homeland Security, New York police and other governing bodies have launched an investigation into CDL test-taking.
The investigation revealed that fraudulent CDL test-taking activities occurred at five known Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) test centers in the New York City area. Surveillance operations, including the use of remote observation posts and pole-cameras, identified the defendants participating in the fraud scheme, including New York State DMV security personnel, an external test-taker, facilitators, “runners”, and lookouts.
Hide nothing
A bit farther south, in North Carolina, one man pleaded guilty for lying on a commercial driver employment application.
In January 2013, the North Charleston, South Carolina, Police Department charged Arnold Williams with reckless homicide and possessing an open alcohol beverage container. Williams was arrested after crashing his tractor trailer, which led to one fatality and three injuries. He subsequently lost his job.
A few months later Williams applied to work as a truck driver for a North Carolina-based trucking company and did not disclose his previous accident. And since FMCSA regulations require drivers to list all previous accidents on driver employment applications, Williams landed in court for lying.
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