19 Surrender in Ongoing Florida Drivers License Scam Investigation

Florida officials arrested 19 additional Floridians accused of fraudulently obtaining Florida commercial driver licenses (CDLs).

Those arrested this week surrendered, some calling in response to initial arrests on Jan. 4. So far, 26 individuals have been charged in the ongoing investigation, and authorities believe hundreds of individuals may be involved. Some will also face charges of insurance application fraud.

Between November 2005 and April 2007, civilians who had never been in the military fraudulently obtained a U.S. Department of Defense waiver form. The waiver indicated that the holder had been trained by the U.S. Army to operate heavy vehicles. Some of these individuals, who had never received or completed the required training, used these fraudulently obtained CDLs to obtain either personal or commercial vehicle insurance.

Steven Baez, a sergeant with the Army National Guard stationed at the Homestead Air Reserve Base in Homestead, sold each waiver form, Operator Qualification Record DA FORM 348-E, for as little as $400 and as much as $1,300.

Baez pleaded guilty in October to one count of conspiracy to cause the production of false identification documents and two counts of bribery of a public official and faces up to 15 years in prison. His sentencing is scheduled for Jan. 16, before U.S. District Court Judge Marcia G. Cooke.

The arrests are being prosecuted in Miami-Dade County and sentences upon conviction could range from five to 10 years in prison.

The arrests follow an investigation by Department of Financial Services’ Division of Insurance Fraud, the U.S. Department of Defense – Defense Criminal Investigative Service, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Florida Highway Patrol, and the Florida Department of Transportation Motor Carrier Compliance Office.

Source: Florida Department of Financial Services

Topics Florida USA Fraud Personal Auto