A former New York Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) supervisor was sentenced this week for a scheme involving various disguises to help applicants fraudulently pass commercial driver’s license (CDL) exams.
Sisters Partnered For CDL Cheating Scheme: Officials
On October 28, 2026, Kanaisha Middleton, 34, was sentenced to one year in jail, according to the Nassau County District Attorney’s Office (NCDAO).
On May 4, 2026, Middleton pleaded guilty to Corrupting the Government in the Fourth Degree (an E felony), Impairing the Integrity of a Licensing Examination (a D felony), and Official Misconduct (an A misdemeanor).
Officials say that while working as a New York DMV supervisor, Middleton orchestrated “a cheating scheme to bypass CDL exams and process permits for no-show applicants.”
On multiple occasions between March 2023 and September 2023, Kanaisha Middleton directed her sister, Jamie Middleton, 36, to approach DMV employees dressed in various disguises in order to pose as different CDL applicants and take the exam in their place, authorities said.
“Jamie Middleton was dressed in baggy clothing, face masks, construction jackets and fake facial hair when she approached DMV employees to gain access to the testing room,” the NCDAO said.
Multiple CDL Applicants Skipped Testing Through Disguise Scheme
As part of the scheme, Jamie Middleton took nine CDL exams, and passed eight times on behalf of seven applicants. Six of the applicants were ultimately not issued full CDLs.
Officials said that Jamie Middleton was granted access to the testing room even though her appearance did not match the identification and DMV records for the applicants for whom she was posing.
In one instance, the NCDAO said that Jamie Middleton took two different exams for CDL applicants within the space of a few minutes:
“On May 23, 2023, Jamie Middleton took exams for two applicants, defendants Rene Sarduy, a Town of Hempstead Department of Highway employee, and Omesh Mohan, less than five minutes apart and wearing the exact same clothing.
Mohan and Sarduy both went to different DMV locations in Springfield Gardens and Bethpage in the following days to provide their paperwork and obtain their interim permits.“
Defendant James Nurse, a Town of Hempstead Sanitation employee, received interim permit in August 2023 after Jamie Middleton took his exam two days before in Garden City. Nurse was issued a full CDL in September 2023 and used the illegally-obtained license to drive recycling trucks.
Jamie Middleton pleaded guilty in May 2026 to Corrupting the Government in the Fourth Degree and eight counts of Impairing the Integrity of a Licensing Examination. She was later sentenced to five months incarceration and five years’ probation.
Sarduy, Mohan, Nurse, Satoya Mitchell, and Tawanna Whitfield all pleaded guilty to charges associated with the cheating scheme.
What Are They Saying?
“Kanaisha Middleton used her government position to corrupt and exploit DMV systems and manipulate a process meant to ensure those permitted to drive commercial vehicles on New York State roadways have the knowledge and abilities to do so safely,” said DA Donnelly. “She enlisted the help of her sister and several other DMV employees in a masquerade of harebrained disguises to conceal a half-baked scheme putting money in their pockets and untested drivers on the roads with permits they never earned. We expect public employees to uphold the law, not sell it out for cash and at the expense of New Yorkers’ safety. I thank the New York State Inspector General and her team for bringing my office these serious allegations of corruption and helping us hold Middleton and her accomplices accountable with criminal convictions.”
“New Yorkers have every right to expect that those entrusted with keeping our roads safe are upholding the very rules they are charged with enforcing,” said New York State Inspector General Lucy Lang. “By exploiting her position to help others circumvent critical safety laws, this defendant betrayed the public’s trust and undermined the integrity of the system. I am grateful to all New York State employees who speak up, our dedicated investigators, and our partners at the Nassau County District Attorney’s Office for ensuring that this misconduct did not go unchecked.”
