According to the Pittsburg Post-Gazette, a Philadelphia man has been charged with taking bribes from immigrants in exchange for driver’s licenses.
Marvin Mills, 56, a former state driver’s license examiner, has been accused of helping immigrants, a majority of them Asian immigrants from Bhutan, obtain fraudulent licenses by not requiring the licensees to take a proper driving exam.
Mills worked at the Uniontown Driver’s License Center in Fayette County. According to the Post-Gazette, from June 2009 through August, Mills tested 346 Bhutanese drivers; only 7 of the drivers failed. Since February 2011, Mills allegedly passed every Bhutanese immigrant he tested.
Mill is no facing 16 counts of bribery and two counts of tampering with public records.
“Twelve applicants interviewed by authorities said they paid that man amounts ranging from $100 to $700 and he would go with them to the center. They also said the man would meet with Mr. Mills and the drivers would pass their exams,” the Post-Gazette reported.
PennDOT has retested 339 of the drivers Mills issued licenses to and nearly 2/3 of the drivers failed. The average pass rate is approximately 50%.
Authorities said Mills admitted to giving “improper driving exams” but denied accepting payments in exchange for licenses.
Read more about this at the Post-Gazette.