X1965ChainImmigrants
12-13-2003, 01:44 PM
They've had so many of these stings in Hawaii, I've lost count. Really, nobody even cares anymore. It's a big sick joke.
My favorite corruption story (not DMV, but immigration) was the spic in Chicago who was swapping green cards for butt sex with other men.
http://www.indystar.com/articles/1/101899-5291-103.html
Suspects are charged with trying to use phony documents at a license branch.
The case so far
• Nov. 20: Seven people are arrested in an undercover sting in connection with what authorities say is a scheme that helps foreign nationals illegally obtain Indiana driver's licenses. Four of the seven -- Elizabeth Lang, Juan Sanchez, Tao Sun and Yan Zhang -- have been charged. Charges are pending against the three others, who have not been identified.
• Dec. 9: The Bureau of Motor Vehicles announces it has suspended six employees suspected of taking part in the scheme. State officials won't divulge their names.
• Dec. 10: A federal grand jury indicts Hugo Santos, Ricardo Herrera and Kamila Saxova, three people who were arrested Nov. 24.
• Dec. 11: Seven people are arrested in a police undercover sting at the Lawrence license branch. They are Jose Perez, Alejandro Colula, Erica Leon, Teresa Cano-Perez, Eduardo Cruz, Juan Guevara and Armando Guevara.
http://www.indystar.com/articles/4/100627-5734-092.html
Six BMV workers suspected of taking bribes
Investigation has found at least 1,000 foreign nationals have acquired licenses with bogus documents.
By Fred Kelly
fred.kelly@indystar.com
December 9, 2003
Six state Bureau of Motor Vehicles workers are suspected of taking bribes as part of a scam to help foreign nationals illegally obtain driver's licenses, officials said Tuesday.
The employees were suspended in an ongoing criminal investigation that has now found at least 1,000 foreign nationals -- an increase from an earlier estimate of at least 100 -- have acquired Indiana driver's licenses and state identification cards using bogus passports, visas and other documents.
Some of the foreign nationals came from outside the state to obtain the Indiana documents, investigators say.
A Bureau of Motor Vehicles worker, acting as a police informant, has told investigators that she and numerous other employees at two Marion County license branches forged documents and provided driver's licenses and identification cards to illegal aliens of various nationalities, federal court documents show.
BMV workers collected "several hundred dollars" from each person they assisted, said Marion County Prosecutor Carl Brizzi, adding that more employees could be involved.
The six suspended workers, whose names were not released, have not been arrested or charged.
They are on unpaid suspension indefinitely, state officials said.
Authorities said they still do not know exactly how many people fraudulently obtained driver's licenses or state identification or how long the scam went on.
Police are investigating license branches throughout Central Indiana. They have turned up suspected fraud at the Meadows, Michigan Road and Speedway branches, Brizzi said.
BMV administrators are reviewing more records to try to determine who else received licenses fraudulently.
The state will revoke any licenses acquired with fake documents and will review all licenses issued to foreign nationals by the six suspended employees, officials said.
Such actions were paired with a vow of increased vigilance in the future.
"We will put a system in place to prevent this from happening," said Gerald Coleman, commissioner of the BMV. "We have to determine how this was done. We are going to vigorously pursue any leads."
Coleman noted that license branches throughout the state will start utilizing computer technology next year that will help workers detect fraud.
Police were alerted to the fraud in October when an employee at the Meadows branch at 4064 Meadows Parkway was arrested for dealing cocaine, theft and forgery, federal court records show.
Investigators found phony immigration documents and fraudulently obtained automobile titles, Indiana license plates and one ounce of cocaine during a search of the woman's home, the documents say. The documents do not name the woman or list her address.
She agreed to act as a confidential informant in exchange for leniency on the criminal charges, the documents state.
She told authorities employees at the Meadows branch and at a branch at 8330 North Michigan Road helped foreign nationals obtain driver's license fraudulently.
On Nov. 20 federal, state and county authorities conducted an undercover probe at the Speedway branch at 4513 West 16th St., where six people were arrested trying to leave the branch with fraudulently obtained licenses.
A seventh person also was arrested: Elizabeth Lang, a former volunteer translator at license branches throughout Central Indiana. She was accused of helping two of the six get licenses.
Lang told police she has helped more than 100 people fraudulently obtain driver's licenses.
Investigators now believe she helped at least 1,000 people since 1998, Marion County Deputy Prosecutor Mark King said.
Lang has told investigators she received $200 to $300 per person she assisted. Prosecutors believe she was paid even more -- about $5,000 per person.
My favorite corruption story (not DMV, but immigration) was the spic in Chicago who was swapping green cards for butt sex with other men.
http://www.indystar.com/articles/1/101899-5291-103.html
Suspects are charged with trying to use phony documents at a license branch.
The case so far
• Nov. 20: Seven people are arrested in an undercover sting in connection with what authorities say is a scheme that helps foreign nationals illegally obtain Indiana driver's licenses. Four of the seven -- Elizabeth Lang, Juan Sanchez, Tao Sun and Yan Zhang -- have been charged. Charges are pending against the three others, who have not been identified.
• Dec. 9: The Bureau of Motor Vehicles announces it has suspended six employees suspected of taking part in the scheme. State officials won't divulge their names.
• Dec. 10: A federal grand jury indicts Hugo Santos, Ricardo Herrera and Kamila Saxova, three people who were arrested Nov. 24.
• Dec. 11: Seven people are arrested in a police undercover sting at the Lawrence license branch. They are Jose Perez, Alejandro Colula, Erica Leon, Teresa Cano-Perez, Eduardo Cruz, Juan Guevara and Armando Guevara.
http://www.indystar.com/articles/4/100627-5734-092.html
Six BMV workers suspected of taking bribes
Investigation has found at least 1,000 foreign nationals have acquired licenses with bogus documents.
By Fred Kelly
fred.kelly@indystar.com
December 9, 2003
Six state Bureau of Motor Vehicles workers are suspected of taking bribes as part of a scam to help foreign nationals illegally obtain driver's licenses, officials said Tuesday.
The employees were suspended in an ongoing criminal investigation that has now found at least 1,000 foreign nationals -- an increase from an earlier estimate of at least 100 -- have acquired Indiana driver's licenses and state identification cards using bogus passports, visas and other documents.
Some of the foreign nationals came from outside the state to obtain the Indiana documents, investigators say.
A Bureau of Motor Vehicles worker, acting as a police informant, has told investigators that she and numerous other employees at two Marion County license branches forged documents and provided driver's licenses and identification cards to illegal aliens of various nationalities, federal court documents show.
BMV workers collected "several hundred dollars" from each person they assisted, said Marion County Prosecutor Carl Brizzi, adding that more employees could be involved.
The six suspended workers, whose names were not released, have not been arrested or charged.
They are on unpaid suspension indefinitely, state officials said.
Authorities said they still do not know exactly how many people fraudulently obtained driver's licenses or state identification or how long the scam went on.
Police are investigating license branches throughout Central Indiana. They have turned up suspected fraud at the Meadows, Michigan Road and Speedway branches, Brizzi said.
BMV administrators are reviewing more records to try to determine who else received licenses fraudulently.
The state will revoke any licenses acquired with fake documents and will review all licenses issued to foreign nationals by the six suspended employees, officials said.
Such actions were paired with a vow of increased vigilance in the future.
"We will put a system in place to prevent this from happening," said Gerald Coleman, commissioner of the BMV. "We have to determine how this was done. We are going to vigorously pursue any leads."
Coleman noted that license branches throughout the state will start utilizing computer technology next year that will help workers detect fraud.
Police were alerted to the fraud in October when an employee at the Meadows branch at 4064 Meadows Parkway was arrested for dealing cocaine, theft and forgery, federal court records show.
Investigators found phony immigration documents and fraudulently obtained automobile titles, Indiana license plates and one ounce of cocaine during a search of the woman's home, the documents say. The documents do not name the woman or list her address.
She agreed to act as a confidential informant in exchange for leniency on the criminal charges, the documents state.
She told authorities employees at the Meadows branch and at a branch at 8330 North Michigan Road helped foreign nationals obtain driver's license fraudulently.
On Nov. 20 federal, state and county authorities conducted an undercover probe at the Speedway branch at 4513 West 16th St., where six people were arrested trying to leave the branch with fraudulently obtained licenses.
A seventh person also was arrested: Elizabeth Lang, a former volunteer translator at license branches throughout Central Indiana. She was accused of helping two of the six get licenses.
Lang told police she has helped more than 100 people fraudulently obtain driver's licenses.
Investigators now believe she helped at least 1,000 people since 1998, Marion County Deputy Prosecutor Mark King said.
Lang has told investigators she received $200 to $300 per person she assisted. Prosecutors believe she was paid even more -- about $5,000 per person.