On January 8, 2015, a husband and wife team in New York pled guilty to helping around 500 Commercial Driver's License (CDL) applicants pass the CDL exam. Ying Wai Phillip Ng and Pui Kuen Ng pleaded guilty to fraud charges in what the DOT called a "widespread fraudulent test-taking scheme" within the state of New York. The couple own and operate N&Y Professional Service Line in New York, NY, a commercial driving school.
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration - Truck Driver Qualification Expert Witness
Between 2001 to 2012, the Ngs assisted as many as 500 test taking "customers", in taking the written New York State CDL exam. The scheme provided answers to the test takers.The scheme was perpetrated by using covert cameras and communications equipment.The camera equipment allowed a "helper" to see what was on the test and remotely provide the answer. Many of the driving school's customers did not speak, read or write English.
As part of their conviction, the Ngs will forfeit about $200,000 gained in the scheme.
In another unrelated New York case, On January 12, 2015, Marie Daniel also pled guilty to assisting CDL test takers in passing the test. Daniel was part of a group of ten others indicted in October 2013 in a scheme similar to the Ngs in which covert remote camera equipment was used and external test takers would be used to help test takers answer questions during exams.
The DOT says Daniel was an external test taker. The scheme employed items like Bluetooth-enabled pencils and headsets to relay answers back and forth. Conspiring CDL applicants would pay between $1,800 and $2,500 for the services of Daniel and her conspirators, the DOT says.
The investigations were handled by a multi-jurisdictional task forces which included: U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE); Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Investigations; U.S. Department of Transportation-Office of Inspector General; New York State Inspector General; New York State Attorney General's Office; New York City Police Department; New York County District Attorney's Office; and New York State Department of Motor Vehicles.