Kentucky driver’s licensing scandal: 5 charged for allegedly illegally issuing licenses to immigrants in exchange for cash



A federal grand jury indicted several Louisville, Kentucky, residents on February 4 for their alleged involvement in illegally selling driver's licenses to immigrants.

Melissa Moorman, a former clerk at Louisville's Nia Center Licensing Branch, stated that she alerted her supervisor and the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet in October 2024 that several of her co-workers were involved in a fraudulent scheme.

'As alleged in the indictment, this fraudulent scheme involved kickbacks and bribes leading to numerous legally present, non-US citizens obtaining unlawfully issued drivers licenses.'

Moorman told WDRB in August that her colleagues sold licenses to illegal immigrants who could not otherwise legally obtain them, charging them $200 per license. She claimed they were unlawfully selling these licenses four or five times per day for at least two years at multiple driver's licensing branches across the state.

"The employees were being paid under the table," Moorman previously told WDRB. "I immediately let my supervisor know."

Moorman stated that two co-workers began using her computer login to issue licenses illegally after her supervisor instructed her to share her login information, as not all employees had their own.

Moorman claimed that fraudulent Social Security cards and birth certificates were being used to issue driver's licenses and permits to illegal immigrants who never took any driving tests. She further claimed that her co-workers' scheme skipped Homeland Security background checks.

Shortly after reporting the alleged fraud scheme, Moorman claimed, she was fired.

KYTC claimed in a court filing that Moorman was terminated "for legitimate, non-discriminatory reasons not causally related to the alleged whistleblowing activity."

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Photo by George Frey/Getty Images

A February 10 press release from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of Kentucky unveiled criminal charges against five Louisville residents for alleged fraud and money-laundering offenses.

Donnita Wilson, 32; Aariel Matthews, 27; Lazaro Alejandro Castello Rojas, 37; Robert Danger Correa, 41; and one other individual who has not yet been arrested were charged with mail fraud, honest services mail fraud, unlawful production of identification documents, money-laundering conspiracy, and other offenses.

Wilson and Matthews previously worked at the Nia Center office, according to the indictment. Rojas and Correa did not work at any licensing agency but are accused of recruiting and escorting noncitizens to driver's license appointments at the Nia Center.

Rojas and Correa "gained the trust" of the noncitizen applicants "because they professed to know the process or even implied an association with the DMV, spoke the same language, and often had the same or similar countries of origin," the indictment read, adding that most of the applicants "were unfamiliar with processes and procedures for obtaining driver's licenses in Kentucky, and many had difficulty communicating in English."

Federal prosecutors argued that the defendants solicited illegal fees of $200-$1,500 from individuals applying for driver's licenses, promising expedited services, including avoiding lines and bypassing testing requirements.

The applicants were allegedly led to believe the process was legal, according to prosecutors.

The indictment insisted that the driver’s license applicants were legally present, non-U.S. citizens.

"This indictment represents the culmination of an investigation into a scheme by Kentucky Transportation Cabinet employees and others to illegally circumvent Kentucky's process for issuing driver's licenses, thereby issuing invalid licenses to lawfully present, non-U.S. citizens who had not first demonstrated their qualifications to drive on our roads," U.S. Attorney Kyle Bumgarner stated.

"Proper vetting of individuals seeking a driver's license is a prerequisite to ensuring the safety of Kentucky's roadways and ensuring the legitimacy of state-issued identification. As alleged in the indictment, this fraudulent scheme involved kickbacks and bribes leading to numerous legally present, non-U.S. citizens obtaining unlawfully issued drivers licenses."

RELATED: 'Good luck walking to work, a**holes': Trump-hater Swalwell wants to revoke driver’s licenses for ICE agents

Photo by: Lindsey Nicholson/UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

Blaze News reached out to Kentucky Democrat Gov. Andy Beshear's office to request clarity concerning whether any of the licenses were issued to illegal immigrants or used to register to vote. The governor's office referred Blaze News to its press release, which stated that the "indictment does not involve issuing licenses to people illegally present in the country."

"During a routine review of credentials applications, KYTC officials identified a number of irregularities and revoked 1,985 credentials. KYTC immediately contacted law enforcement, which began an active criminal investigation," the press release read.

An attorney for Rojas declined to comment, citing the ongoing nature of the case.

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet and attorneys for Moorman, Wilson, Matthews, and Correa did not respond to a request for comment.

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'Good luck walking to work, a**holes': Trump-hater Swalwell wants to revoke driver’s licenses for ICE agents



Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.) pledged that if he were elected California governor this November, he would revoke the state driver's licenses of federal immigration agents.

Swalwell attended the Empowerment Congress California Governor Forum on Saturday, during which he gave a speech.

'Rep. Eric Swalwell’s vowing to strip ICE law enforcement officers of their driver’s licenses for wearing masks is disgusting.'

He vowed to "always be on offense on behalf of Californians," in part, by taking drastic action against Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers and agents who wear masks.

"They're going to lose their immunity. They're not going to be able to drive. I will take your driver's license. Good luck walking to work, a**holes," Swalwell stated, referring to ICE officers. "Also I will direct law enforcement to use every power to prosecute them for battery, false imprisonment, and murder."

Swalwell shared a clip of his comments on X, writing, "ICE, do I have your attention yet?"

“Rep. Eric Swalwell’s vowing to strip ICE law enforcement officers of their driver’s licenses for wearing masks is disgusting,” Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin told the Daily Caller News Foundation. “Our officers wear masks to protect themselves from being doxxed and targeted by known and suspected terrorist sympathizers. Not only is ICE law enforcement facing a more than 1,300% increase in assaults against them, but we’ve also seen thugs launch websites to reveal officers’ identity.”

RELATED: Eric Swalwell sues Trump administration over alleged privacy violations

Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images

While Swalwell promised to pull driver's licenses from American federal law enforcement agents, the state's laws allow for illegal aliens to obtain driver's licenses. Earlier this month, the Department of Transportation announced that it would withhold $160 million from California for failing to cancel more than 17,000 allegedly illegally issued non-domiciled commercial driver's licenses to foreign nationals.

Meanwhile Swalwell's eligibility to run for California governor is facing scrutiny.

Journalist and filmmaker Joel Gilbert filed a complaint claiming that Swalwell lives in Washington, D.C., thereby prohibiting him from running for governor in California.

"Public records searches reveal no current ownership or leasehold interest held by Eric Swalwell in California, nor any history of any ownership of leasehold interest based on available public records," Gilbert's court complaint read. "Swalwell's congressional financial [disclosures] from 2011 to 2024 list no California real estate ownership."

RELATED: Eric Swalwell launches anti-Trump gubernatorial campaign amid criminal referral to DOJ

Eric Swalwell. Photo by ETIENNE LAURENT / AFP via Getty Images

Gilbert accused Swalwell of listing the office of his California-based lawyer as his residence in his campaign filing.

"Either he's guilty of mortgage fraud in Washington, D.C., or he's ineligible to run for governor of California," Gilbert told the Daily Mail. "He can't have it both ways."

"This made me laugh," Swalwell replied. "Like all Congressmen from CA, I live in CA & DC."

Swalwell described Gilbert as a "MAGA idiot," adding that he plans to "beat him in court."

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Minnesota’s fraud scandal exposes a dangerously loose election system



Fraud investigations are closing in on Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D), but the scandal reaches beyond any single official.

Minnesota’s election system itself now stands exposed, revealing vulnerabilities that undermine transparency and public confidence.

Election officials cannot plainly explain how the system blocks ineligible voting, and voters have every reason to doubt it.

Recent reporting has drawn renewed attention to just how permissive Minnesota’s election framework has become. The state allows voters to “vouch” for up to eight other individuals at the polls. That practice requires no voter identification and relies entirely on personal attestation. Even on its own, that policy raises serious concerns. Combined with broader governance failures and ongoing fraud investigations, it becomes a glaring liability.

Minnesota’s approach to immigration and identification compounds the problem. In 2023, Walz signed legislation allowing illegal aliens to obtain driver’s licenses.

In most states, such a policy would trigger heightened election safeguards to prevent misuse. Minnesota has no voter ID requirement at all, leaving a dangerous gap between immigration policy and election administration.

Supporters frame these policies as efforts to expand access and remove barriers to voting. But access without accountability produces disorder. Confidence in elections depends on clear rules governing eligibility, verification, and identification. Remove those guardrails, and public trust erodes.

Those vulnerabilities came into sharp focus during an October hearing of the Minnesota House Fraud Prevention and State Agency Oversight Policy Committee. On a recent episode of my "Election Protection Project Podcast," I spoke with state Rep. Patti Anderson (R), the committee’s vice chairman, about her exchange with state Elections Director Paul Linnell.

Anderson repeatedly asked a basic question: Could illegal aliens use driver’s licenses issued under the Walz-signed law to vote?

Linnell refused to give a clear answer.

That exchange exposed Minnesota’s core problem. Election officials cannot plainly explain how the system blocks ineligible voting, and voters have every reason to doubt it. A system without basic safeguards can’t be trusted.

RELATED: Tim Walz’s nightmare continues as HHS shuts off $185M to Minnesota amid allegedly ‘fake’ Somali day care centers

Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images

Moments like this expose the weakness of claims that voter ID is “unnecessary.” In 2023, Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows (D) opposed a bill requiring photo identification at the polls, arguing that identity is already verified during registration and that ID requirements could suppress turnout. Minnesota’s experience shows why that argument fails. Loose rules invite confusion, abuse, and doubt. Safeguards such as voter ID protect confidence rather than diminish it.

Americans understand this instinctively. A 2024 Pew Research Center survey found that 81% of U.S. adults support requiring voters to show government-issued photo identification, reflecting broad bipartisan support for common-sense safeguards. These measures help ensure that election outcomes remain credible.

Minnesota’s lack of safeguards is especially troubling as the state heads into a critical election year. Voters deserve assurance that their elections will be administered competently and that only eligible citizens can cast ballots.

Election integrity should never be treated as a partisan issue. It forms the foundation of self-government. Without clear rules, accountability, and transparency, the democratic process itself suffers. Minnesota still has the opportunity to restore trust by implementing voter ID and reinforcing citizenship requirements before voters return to the polls.

Millions of illegal aliens, including convicted criminals, to be issued California state IDs



Not only will California likely have illegal aliens soon serving as police officers, it will now be the first state in the union to allow criminal non-citizens to obtain a non-licensed, standard identification card. Passed by the California state assembly on August 30, the so-called "California ID for All" bill (AB 1766) was signed into law on Friday by Democrat Gov. Gavin Newsom.

Newsom's office touted the move as a "critical step for inclusion." He stated that California is "a state of refuge – a majority-minority state, where 27 percent of us are immigrants." He suggested further that the conferring of IDs by the Department of Motor Vehicles to criminal non-citizens will help make the state stronger.

Democrat Assemblyman Mark Stone (D), who introduced the bill, claimed that it would bring "equity to those who have been unable to access basic life essentials because they have no legally recognized identification."

Illegal alien drivers have been able to acquire licenses since 2015. Over 1 million of the estimated 2.7 million illegal aliens living in California have done so already, according to the California Immigrant Policy Center (CIPC). That leaves approximately "1.6 million undocumented people who are eligible and could benefit from having a state government-issued identification card."

Although non-drivers who are in the country illegally could alternatively use "a consult ID or foreign passport to corroborate their identities," the CIPC claimed that doing so "is an often dangerous 'outing' process ... hence making them feel unsafe and vulnerable in revealing that they are foreign nationals living in the U.S."

This law specifies that the enforcement of federal immigration laws "does not constitute an urgent health and safety need," so indications on the license that the holder is an illegal alien will henceforth be omitted. Any documents used to acquire the ID will not be made public record.

The CIPC tweeted that the ability for criminal non-citizens to "access social services, healthcare, to rent, & to feel included as a member of our society" will be "life-changing."

\u201cBREAKING: @CAGovernor just signed #AB1766 (CA #IDs4All bill) which would allow all Californians to apply for a state ID regardless of immigration status! This will benefit 1.6 million undocumented Californians, who currently cannot obtain a CA driver\u2019s license. (1/4) \ud83e\uddf5\u201d
— California Immigrant Policy Center (@California Immigrant Policy Center) 1663978749

Assemblyman Robert Rivas (D) claimed that this "legislation moves us one step closer to true equity for our undocumented neighbors."

To obtain a Mexican driver's license, by way of comparison, an applicant must provide a copy of his visa confirming legal status, his international passport, his birth certificate, and proof of address in the country.

According to Assemblyman Stone's office, those incarcerated illegal aliens who were previously unable to acquire driver's licenses "because they cannot access a driving test in prison" will also now be able to acquire ID cards.

New perks for non-driver illegal aliens

With their state IDs, non-driver illegal aliens will be able to:

  • gain "improved access" to in-state tuition at taxpayer-funded public colleges and universities as well as to student loans;
  • open bank accounts;
  • access health care and citizen benefits; and
  • receive more "legal assistance in civil matters affecting basic human needs."

Additionally, with these IDs, foreign nationals who have illegally entered the U.S. and become street vendors will now be able to easily acquire local health permits and therefore better compete against citizen-owned businesses.

With 2,150,639 illegal aliens having stolen into the country so far this year, former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo suggested this law will only exacerbate the border crisis.

\u201cGiving illegal immigrants government IDs is a bad idea. It will make the border crisis worse.\n\nhttps://t.co/d9e7wqs72j\u201d
— Mike Pompeo (@Mike Pompeo) 1664207153

Richard Grenell, former acting director of National Intelligence, wrote that Gavin Newsom "should be worried about illegals voting with the IDs he is giving them."

In 2018, there was some question whether thousands of illegal aliens had been enabled to vote in California as a result of the automatic voter registration of DMV driver's license recipients.

Former Rep. Jason Chaffetz suggested last year that Democrats stand to benefit from what "California does – automatically register everyone who gets a driver's license to vote, then do nothing to weed out the votes of illegal immigrants."

The enactment of this law comes just weeks after voters in Massachusetts secured an opportunity in the November elections to end their state law permitting illegal aliens to receive licenses.

Massachusetts voters secure opportunity in November to end law permitting illegal aliens to get driver's licenses



On February 16, the Democrat-controlled Massachusetts House of Representatives overrode Republican Gov. Charlie Baker's veto and approved a bill called the Work and Family Mobility Act. The bill would enable illegal aliens to acquire driver's licenses. The state Senate, similarly Democrat-controlled, signed H.4805 into law on May 5, making Massachusetts the 17th state to confer licenses on criminal non-citizens.

Although touted by some advocates as a step towards "transformational change for undocumented immigrants across the Commonwealth," that step might amount to a stumble.

In the upcoming November election, the people of Massachusetts have an opportunity to repeal the law.

As the result of an energetic campaign and a petition allegedly netting over 100,000 signatures — of which only 71,883 signatures were ultimately accepted — Massachusetts' Election Division certified the proposed referendum as Question 4 on the November 8 ballot. Only 40,120 signatures were required.

The work to get the question of whether to keep or repeal the new license law on the ballot began in earnest in June, when Maureen Maloney and Kevin Dube filed a statement of organization with the Massachusetts Office of Campaign and Political Finance to create the Fair and Secure Massachusetts committee.

As the committee made considerable progress collecting signatures into the summer, some Democrats took notice. The Federation for American Immigration Reform reported that Senate President Karen Spilka (D) saw the ballot question's passage not only as possible but as "a concern."

In a September 9 statement, Maloney, chairman of the committee, said of the petition's success, "Making the ballot is a huge achievement, and to do it with such an excess of signatures shows the groundswell of support across the commonwealth for repealing this law."

Maloney's son Matthew was brutally killed by an illegal alien, who struck him with a truck and dragged his body in 2011. In 2019, Maloney first testified against the bill in the state House before its passage and was met with jeers and boos.

Advocates for the bill suggested, "In the Trump era, immigrant families risk being torn apart every time they drive," citing instances where illegal aliens were deported after being charged with traffic offenses.

Maloney indicated in 2019 that the rhetoric about illegal aliens being separated from their families didn't sit well with her, given that "I have been permanently separated. This is the ultimate separation. ... They're afraid they'll be deported, but they can take their kids with them or their kids can go visit them. I don't have that option."

Boston 25 reported that Maloney and others involved with the repeal campaign were not only concerned that the law would enable foreign nationals in the United States illegally to take to the roads and endanger the lives of citizens. They were also worried that the law may undermine the integrity of state elections by providing illegal aliens with a means to vote.

Although the law specifies that the state is required to ensure that people without legal residences are not automatically registered to vote along with everyone else who receives a driver's license, some believe there will nevertheless be considerable abuse.

Governor Baker argued, when issuing his veto, that the bill "significantly increases the risk that noncitizens will be registered to vote." He added that the bill "restricts the Registry's ability to share citizenship information with those entities responsible for ensuring that only citizens register for and in our elections."

Republican gubernatorial nominee Geoff Diehl and Leah Allen, Republican nominee for lieutenant governor, announced their support for the ballot question in June, similarly arguing that this law will "threaten the integrity of our elections."

In the bill's initial hearings, another concern was raised: the well-being of economically vulnerable citizens.

According to the Massachusetts Coalition for Immigration Reform, the provision of licenses to illegal aliens legitimizes illegal competition. "A whopping 200,000 illegal aliens already reside in Massachusetts — up one-third from a decade ago — taking jobs that would otherwise go to lawful residents, and driving down the wages of low-skilled residents who are still working, because of an oversupply of any resource reduces its value."

The MCIR also noted that not only does the issuing of licenses to illegal immigrants serve to sanction criminality, but it facilitates the use of services intended for citizens by non-citizens.

A poll conducted in April by Suffolk University indicated that the vote may be a toss-up, with 46.13% supporting licenses for illegal aliens, 46.63% opposed, and 55% undecided.

Unless the law is blocked by citizen voters in November, illegal aliens can begin applying for licenses on July 1, 2023.