Federal prosecutors say a bribery ring in Louisiana allowed at least 124 people to obtain CDLs without completing required tests or training. Ringleader Mahmoud Alhattab and two others pleaded guilty on July 29 to bribery involving federally funded programs; the fraud ran from August 2020 to February 2024. The scheme involved falsified OMV knowledge tests, fake training records and bogus skills-test reports, including for school-bus endorsements. The defendants face sentencing on Oct. 28 and potential prison, fines and supervised release.
Louisiana Bribery Ring Faked CDLs for 124 People — Ringleader Collected ~$5,000 Per Applicant
A commercial driver uses a truck simulator during training. Federal prosecutors say a Louisiana scheme helped 124 people receive CDLs without required training or tests. (Photo: FreightWaves)
Federal prosecutors say a bribery scheme in Louisiana enabled at least 124 people to obtain commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs) they did not earn. Three defendants pleaded guilty on July 29 to bribery involving federally funded programs; the fraud spanned August 2020 through February 2024.
How The Scheme Worked
Prosecutors identified Mahmoud Alhattab, a local restaurant owner, as the ringleader. According to court filings, applicants paid Alhattab roughly an average of $5,000 each in exchange for credentials. The operation bypassed the three federally required steps for CDL qualification: the written knowledge exam, entry-level driver training and the skills (road) test.
Alhattab admitted bribing two employees at an Office of Motor Vehicles (OMV) location in Donaldsonville, Louisiana. He sent cellphone photos of applicants' driver’s licenses and specified endorsements — including school-bus endorsements — and OMV staff allegedly entered correct answers on knowledge tests. The office then issued commercial learner’s permits based on falsified scores. Alhattab reportedly paid the employees with cash and meals, used a nonpublic side entrance, accessed restricted areas, and at times operated the camera for permit photos.
Fake Training Records And Bogus Skills Tests
After gaining falsified learner’s permits, Alhattab bribed two truck-driver training business operators to produce fake training completions. One operator, Jonathan Parsons, admitted creating false entry-level driver training records and entering successful completions into a federal database despite no instruction taking place. Parsons and another certified evaluator were also bribed to falsify skills-test results — reports that Louisiana requires to document pre-trip inspections, vehicle control and on-road safety driving.
Parsons acknowledged submitting passing skills-test reports for people who never took exams. Early in the scheme, Alhattab sometimes drove the test vehicle while posing as an applicant to create the appearance of a legitimate evaluation; later Parsons entered results without anyone appearing at the test site. Another defendant, Marline Roberts, admitted creating seven phony score sheets in early 2023 to support Parsons' false reports. Parsons paid Roberts on some occasions for assistance.
Scope, Charges And Penalties
According to plea admissions, Alhattab caused at least 124 people to fraudulently receive CDLs. Parsons admitted causing at least 118 people to receive credentials via false training entries, fake test reports or both. The three guilty defendants are scheduled for sentencing on Oct. 28. Their offenses carry statutory penalties of up to 10 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, a $250,000 fine and a $100 assessment.
Investigation
The FBI and the U.S. Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General led the investigation, assisted by Louisiana’s Office of Inspector General and the Department of Public Safety Services. Additional defendants named in the indictment remain awaiting trial; those charges are allegations until proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
Why This Matters
Commercial driver licensing depends on verified testing, thorough training and reliable records to protect freight networks, public roads and the people who use them. When required safeguards are bypassed, a CDL may not reflect the holder’s ability to safely operate a commercial vehicle — a risk amplified when endorsements like school-bus certification are involved. Communities trust that drivers carrying children or hazardous cargo have completed mandated instruction and testing.
Reporter’s Note: Organizations such as CFCOtraining and other industry credentialing or compliance programs can help transportation professionals spot mismatches between records and actual training or work. Consistent, thorough verification creates friction that makes fraud harder to scale and helps prevent false documents from becoming wider safety threats.
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