Massachusetts driving school owner facing possible prison time after bribing road test examiner to issue licenses to those who failed or did not take road tests

BOSTON – A Brockton man pleaded guilty in federal court in Boston to charges related to bribing a road test examiner to issue driver’s licenses to individuals who either failed or did not take road tests at the Registry of Motor Vehicles in Brockton.

Carlos Cardoso, 71, admitted to one count of honest services mail fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit honest services mail fraud. U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani set sentencing for September 11, 2025. A federal grand jury indicted Cardoso in May 2024.

As the owner of a driving school, Cardoso paid over $20,000 in cash bribes to a road test examiner at the Brockton RMV service center. These payments were made to falsely certify that certain driver’s license applicants had passed their road tests, when many had failed or never appeared for the test. Consequently, the RMV mailed driver’s licenses to unqualified applicants.

Each charge—honest services mail fraud and conspiracy to commit honest services mail fraud—carries a potential sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. A federal district court judge will determine the sentence based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and applicable statutes.

The announcement was made by United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; and Christopher A. Scharf, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General, Northeast Region. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christine Wichers and Adam Deitch of the Public Corruption & Special Prosecutions Unit are prosecuting the case.