Investigations

On November 1, 2017, Aaron Gilliam, an employee at the California Department of Motor Vehicles (CDMV), was charged by information in U.S. District Court, Sacramento, California, with conspiracy to commit bribery, identity theft, and unauthorized access of a computer. Gilliam worked as a motor vehicle representative in the CDMV’s office in Hollywood, California, where he processed commercial driver’s licenses (CDL) and identification card applications, among other duties. A CDL is required to operate tractor-trailer trucks on California and interstate highways, including, in some cases, trucks transporting hazardous materials. On November 17, Gilliam pleaded guilty to the charges.

 

The investigation revealed that from at least April 2016 through at least July 2017, Gilliam and his CDMV coconspirators repeatedly and without authorization accessed the CDMV’s computer database. They altered CDMV records to fraudulently indicate that applicants had taken and passed written CDL examinations when they had not. On multiple occasions, Gilliam accessed the CDMV database in Sacramento and altered CDMV applicant records by fraudulently entering passing scores for written CDL examinations. Gilliam was responsible for the issuance of at least 57 fraudulent licenses, including permits.

 

DOT-OIG conducted this investigation with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and CDMV.