Summary

On November 23 and November 4, 2015, Marie Daniel and Firdavs Mamadaliev were sentenced in the U.S. District Court, Brooklyn, New York for their roles in a widespread fraudulent Commercial Driver's License (CDL) test-taking scheme in New York State. Daniel was sentenced to 3 years’ incarceration and 3 years of supervised release, and Mamadaliev was sentenced to 24 months’ probation and a $500 fine. In October 2013, Daniel, Mamadaliev, and nine others were charged with conspiracy to unlawfully produce identification documents in connection with the scheme. In January 2015, both pleaded guilty.

The investigation revealed that fraudulent CDL test-taking activities occurred at five known New York State Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) test centers in the New York City area. Surveillance operations, including the use of remote observation posts and pole-cameras, identified the defendants participating in the fraud scheme. Defendants included DMV security personnel, an external test-taker, facilitators, "runners," and lookouts. Conspiring CDL applicants paid facilitators between $1,800-$2,500 in return for CDL exam answers and escort assistance through DMV processes. Fraud schemes included the use of pencils containing miniaturized encoded test answers, the use of a Bluetooth headset as a communication device to relay CDL test answers, and the use of an external test-taker positioned nearby to take the exams.

Daniel was identified as an external test-taker and Mamadaliev was utilized as a "lookout" by one of the key facilitators at the DMV facilities. Seven defendants await sentencing.

We are conducting this investigation with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security - Homeland Security Investigations, New York City Police Department, New York State (NYS) DMV Investigations, NYS - Attorney General's Office, and the NYS - Inspector General's Office.