Seven charged in New York CDL fraud case involving DMV employees

A group of DMV employees in New York allegedly manipulated the process of obtaining commercial driver’s licenses by allowing applicants who never showed up to receive permits.

Former employees of the New York Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) are facing state government charges for their alleged involvement in a criminal scheme that provided commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs) to unqualified individuals.

The case began in October, when Nassau County District Attorney Anne Donnelly and New York State Inspector General Lucy Lang announced a 51-count indictment against seven people. The defendants included two CDL applicants employed by a local municipality and three DMV workers.

New York DMV employees manipulated the CDL licensing process

A group of DMV employees allegedly manipulated the process of obtaining commercial driver’s licenses by allowing applicants who never showed up to receive permits without passing the required exams, Donnelly stated. According to the investigation, the defendants acted in exchange for money, putting public safety at risk. Among the cases identified, a Hempstead Department of Sanitation worker had allegedly obtained a full CDL and used it to drive recycling trucks despite not being qualified to safely operate large vehicles.

The scheme was uncovered after a Long Island DMV supervisor alerted the Office of the Inspector General about employees processing CDL permit applications for individuals who were not completing the required tests. If convicted, the defendants face between 28 months and 7 years in prison.

Those charged with compromising government integrity and first-degree falsification of public records were former DMV supervisor Kanaisha Middleton, 33; her sister Jamie Middleton, 35; and DMV employees Tawanna Whitfield, 36, and Satoya Mitchell, 35.

Additional charges against the former New York DMV employees include:

Fourth-degree government corruption and first-degree falsification of business records, carrying 1 to 3 years in state prison.
Second-degree falsification of business records (a misdemeanor).

CDL applicants James Nurse, 42, a former sanitation services driver; Omesh Mohan, 42; and René Sarduy, 44, were also charged with alleged manipulation of public records and first-degree falsification of business records.

All cases are pending in Nassau County Criminal Court in Mineola. New York State Inspector General Lucy Lang stated that the former DMV employees had allegedly betrayed their oath of office through deliberate and coordinated crimes.

These cases add to a series of irregularities committed by government authorities in several states that have allowed unfit individuals to enter the commercial transportation industry, putting all drivers at risk.