Pennsylvania scheme on issuing faked CDL was revealed

Investigators are accusing another person of fraudful issuing CDLs in Pennsylvania.

Roberto Correas, director of the CDL entitlement program at the Career and Technology Center in Laporte, Pennsylvania, as is said colluded with another examiner, Jeffrey Bell. Together, they provided pre-signed skill scores sheets for the CDL from February to March 2018.

Correas was charged with 12 counts of electronic fraud, according to a criminal lawsuit filed in the US District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania in November.

Federal investigators say Correas was informed of Bell’s illegal actions.

According to the Department of Transportation’s Office of the Inspector General, Bell improperly filled out copies with the passing score sheets for individuals who failed the exam but paid the company $ 275.

The lawsuit also alleges that between September and October 2018, Correas conducted CDL skills exams for the company, but put a $ 275 fee into his personal checking account.

In October 2020, Bell’s associate was charged with conspiracy to commit federal bribery fraud.

PennDOT employs third-party examiners to administer CDL skills exams in accordance with regulations issued by the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Administration.

Court documents say that PennDOT audited the BCTC where Correas and Bell worked as outside CDL issuers in the fall of 2018. The audit found irregularities in the BCTC CDL exam curriculum and found that the CDL passing rate was over 90%, significantly higher than the Pennsylvania`s average.