Brockton Driving School Owner Charged with Bribery and Conspiracy Charges

Defendant allegedly pay tens of thousands of dollars in bribes to road test examiner to issue licenses to applicants who did not take road test

In another case of alleged corruption within the Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV) in Brockton, the owner of a driving school has been arrested for reportedly bribing an RMV road test examiner to illegally issue driver’s licenses. Carlos Cardoso, 70, faces several federal charges, including multiple counts of honest services mail fraud and conspiracy to commit honest services mail fraud. He was indicted by a federal grand jury sitting in Boston.

The Scheme and Its Unfolding

According to the federal indictment, Cardoso is accused of paying between $20,000 and $30,000 in bribes to a road test examiner at the Brockton RMV service center. The arrangement allegedly allowed certain individuals to bypass the standard road test required to obtain a driver’s license legally. Allegedly some of these applicants did not even appear for the road test. As a result, the RMV inadvertently mailed driver’s licenses to these unqualified applicants, believing they had met all necessary criteria.

Legal Ramifications

The charges laid against Cardoso carry severe penalties, reflecting the gravity of the offenses. Honest services mail fraud, the primary charge, could result in up to 20 years in prison, along with three years of supervised release and fines up to $250,000. These penalties underscore the U.S. justice system’s stern approach to public corruption, particularly when it compromises essential public services like the issuance of driver’s licenses.

Investigative and Legal Efforts

The case is being prosecuted by the Public Corruption & Special Prosecutions Unit, led by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christine Wichers and Adam Deitch. The arrest and charges were announced by Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy, alongside high-ranking officials from Homeland Security Investigations and the U.S. Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General.

Presumption of Innocence

It is important to note that the details outlined in the indictment are currently allegations, and Carlos Cardoso is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

Third case of corruption involving the Brockton RMV

As alluded to above, the case involving Mr. Cardoso is the second owner of a driving school in Brockton charged with fraud. In August of 2023, Agency Checklists reported that Estevao Semedo, 61, the owner of a Brockton driving school was sentenced to six months in federal prison and one year of supervised release for conspiring with an RMV road test examiner to issue fraudulent licenses to students who had not passed their road tests. In addition, a Taunton woman also pead guilty in August 2023 for a similar offence. These cases both follow the April 2023 announcement in which the former RMV Manager of the Brockton RMV plead guilty to passing Learner’s Permit Tests. She ultimately received a four-month sentence in federal prison.