A ring of DMV employees are accused of taking bribes and giving driver’s licenses to people who should never have been allowed on the road.
State investigators say employees from three local DMV offices took bribes and gave out licenses to scammers and handicapped elderly drivers with vision problems.
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An employee of the Fullerton office of the California Department of Motor Vehicles was among four arrested Thursday in a title-washing scheme, department officials said.
Angelina Nanette James, 42, who worked at the DMV’s Fullerton field office, was being held in lieu of $50,000 bail, as were three employees of the DMV’s Los Angeles/Hope Street office, the DMV said in a news release. The others are Taneika Mashay Lathan, 22; Shavon Renae Shorter, 25; and Kimberly Nicole Sadler, 30, the release said.
The title-washing scheme involved luxury vehicles such as Mercedes-Benzes and Cadillac Escalades, said Greg Huber, a DMV internal affairs commander. People would buy vehicles using auto loans. Then, with the help of the four DMV employees, they would get a fraudulent title in which the lien-holding bank was removed, Huber said. The people would then take out new loans against the vehicles and pocket the money, he said.
In one case, a vehicle was used as collateral for loans six times before the banks caught on, Huber said. Approximately 10 people not employed by the DMV where arrested by the California Highway Patrol in connection with the scheme, he said.
The four DMV employees are being charged with conspiracy, grand theft, illegal computer access, bribery and use of false documents to conceal resident status, the DMV said.
I have suspected for at least 20 years that people in the CA DMV offices were giving out fraudulent licenses to illegalls. As for the auto title scams going on at the L.A. Hope Street office, I have had to deal with that office and the employees I encountered were all pieces of work. They had major attitude and were not at all helpful. A few were wearing SEIU T-shirts when I was there a few times last summer. I am not at all surprised.
Angelina Nanette James, 42 — I’m betting she’s an Obama voter.
Taneika Mashay Lathan, 22 —— Teneika is definitely an Obama voter.
Shavon Renae Shorter, 25 —— Shavon is definitely an Obama voter.
Kimberly Nicole Sadler, 30 —— probably another Obama voter.