USAO, Western District of Louisiana - Press Release

Summary

On May 4, 2016, Christopher Pender, a third-party commercial driver’s license (CDL) examiner, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court, Shreveport, LA, to making and using a false writing and document by accepting cash payments from various CDL test applicants in lieu of administering the test. In exchange for the cash payments, Pender provided these applicants with a Commercial Driver’s Skills Test Certificate, falsely certifying that the individual successfully completed the mandated CDL skills test, when in fact, the individual had not taken any such test.

The investigation revealed that on or about November 2, 2014, Pender, in exchange for a cash payment, gave a CDL test applicant a Commercial Driver’s Skills Test Certificate indicating that the applicant completed the mandated CDL skills test, when in fact; the applicant had not taken and passed the federally required test. The false certificate was provided to the Louisiana Department of Public Safety, Office of Motor Vehicles, and was used to fraudulently obtain a CDL.

DOT-OIG is conducting this investigation with the Louisiana State Police, with assistance from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and the Louisiana Department of Public Safety, Office of Motor Vehicles.