Indian-American trucking school owner sentenced for bribery and identity fraud

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An Indian-American who owned a truck driving school was sentenced Nov. 2, by a U.S. District judge in California, after being convicted of conspiring to commit bribery and identity fraud with Department of Motor Vehicles employees,

Mangal Gill, 58, of San Ramon, was sentenced by Judge Garland E. Burrell, Jr. to 4 years and 3 months in prison for conspiracy to commit bribery and identity fraud.

The U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of California McGregor W. Scott, noted in a press release that court documents showed between April 2012 and April 2015, Gill conspired with employees of the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) and others to fraudulently obtain commercial driver’s licenses (CDL) for Gill’s truck school students and others who did not take or pass the written or the behind-the-wheel driving examinations.

Gill owned Central Truck Driving School, which had locations in Fremont, Lathrop, Fresno, and Salinas.

Gill received money from those wishing to obtain a CDL and, in turn, paid bribes to the DMV employees, who would access the DMV’s database to alter records indicating that the individuals had passed tests when, in fact, they had not passed them or, in some instances, taken any examination at all. As a result, individuals were able to obtain driver’s licenses, including commercial licenses to operate tractor-trailer trucks and passenger buses, without having taken and passed the requisite written or behind-the-wheel driving tests, the press release said.

While sentencing Gill, Judge Burrell referred to his conduct as “egregious” and potentially endangering the safety of the public.

The co-defendant in the case, Andrew Kimura, a DMV employee, previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bribery and identity fraud and was sentenced to three years and 10 months in prison.

Another co-defendant Robert Turchin, a DMV employee, was convicted after a jury trial and is scheduled to be sentenced on November 9.

Co-defendant Pavittar Dosangh Singh pleaded guilty and is also scheduled for sentencing on November 9.

Emma Klem, another DMV employee, and Kulwinder Dosanjh Singh, a broker, also previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bribery and identity fraud as part of the same investigation in United States v. Klem, 2:15-cr-00139 GEB, and United States v. Kulwinder Dosanjh, 2:15-cr-00146 GEB, respectively. They are scheduled for sentencing on November 16. They face a maximum statutory penalty of 5 to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.