Three people have pleaded guilty in federal court for their roles in a Louisiana bribery scheme that handed out commercial driver's licenses to applicants who never sat a real knowledge test, never completed required training and never took a skills exam. By the ringleader's own admission, at least 124 drivers got CDLs this way.
How the $5,000 shortcut worked
According to prosecutors, applicants paid restaurant owner Mahmoud Alhattab roughly $5,000 each. Alhattab then bribed employees at the Donaldsonville, Louisiana Office of Motor Vehicles with cash and meals to complete the CDL knowledge test on the applicant's behalf — allegedly by looking up the answers online instead of administering a real exam. He'd text over the applicant's photo and the endorsements they wanted.
The paper trail was covered on both ends. A truck-driver training operator took bribes to falsely certify in the federal database that applicants had completed entry-level driver training they never received, while a skills-test examiner produced passing score sheets for road tests that never happened. The scheme ran from August 2020 to February 2024.
Who pleaded guilty (July 29, 2026)
Mahmoud Alhattab — restaurant owner and organizer; admitted causing at least 124 fraudulent CDLs
Jonathan Parsons — training business operator; falsely certified entry-level driver training in the federal database
Marline Roberts — skills-test examiner; created passing score sheets for tests that never took place
What happens next
All three pleaded guilty to bribery concerning programs receiving federal funds and face up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine at sentencing, scheduled for October 28, 2026. Three more defendants from the August 2025 indictment — two OMV employees and another third-party tester — are still awaiting trial. The case was worked by the FBI, DOT's Office of Inspector General, FMCSA and Louisiana state investigators.
Why it matters for carriers
At least 124 people received CDLs without ever proving they can safely operate a truck — and officials haven't yet said publicly whether those licenses will be revoked or the holders retested. For fleets, it's another reminder that a valid-looking CDL isn't the same as a vetted driver: dig into employment history, run PSP reports and road-test every new hire yourself.
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