Latest news with #MichaelMcMahon
CBS News
01-07-2025
- CBS News
3 New York DMV employees, driving school busted in driver's license scheme, Staten Island DA says
Prosecutors say 3 N.Y. DMV examiners schemed with driving school to help people get licenses Prosecutors say 3 N.Y. DMV examiners schemed with driving school to help people get licenses Prosecutors say 3 N.Y. DMV examiners schemed with driving school to help people get licenses Prosecutors say three New York State Department of Motor Vehicles examiners schemed with a driving school to help people get licenses without ever taking the proper tests, pocketing thousands of dollars in cash along the way. Here's what is alleged Detectives say the T&E Driving School on Roosevelt Avenue in Queens charged people $1,600 to $2,000 each to falsify driving exams. Investigators say the school's owner worked with three DMV examiners and a substitute driver who posed as other people to take tests. Prosecutors say the scheme may have allowed hundreds if not thousands of people to get licenses. "Countless individuals are now driving on our roads without ever having demonstrated the basic skills to do it safely," Staten Island District Attorney Michael McMahon said. How the case was cracked The school is in Queens, but McMahon said the scheme involved several testing locations on Staten Island. Investigators say they cracked the case using undercover cameras and an undercover NYPD officer who paid the school $1,600. "A short time ago, our undercover, who never took the test, was told by the school he passed and was getting a license," McMahon said. How the DMV is fixing its system going forward The DMV now says it has begun the process of revoking the driving privilege of any customers of the scheme. "These individuals often did not speak or understand English and may have believed they were taking legitimate, necessary steps," said George Ioannidis, acting deputy special agent in charge of Homeland Security Investigations New York. The DMV says it has already made changes and will be making more improvements to ensure something like this doesn't happen again, adding the employees involved have all been either fired or are on leave without pay, no longer doing road tests. The DMV commissioner also applauded the employees who assisted in the case.
New York Post
01-07-2025
- New York Post
NYC driving school rigged driver's licenses for illegal immigrants — even if they couldn't drive: DA
A Big Apple driving school paid off DMV examiners to fraudulently fast-track driver's licenses for illegal immigrants — even if they had no clue how to drive, Staten Island prosecutors said Tuesday. T&E Driving School in Queens took cash from Chinese immigrants — many of whom didn't even speak English — and paid off a crew of Department of Motor Vehicles employees on Staten Island to illegally obtain driver's licenses, District Attorney Michael McMahon said at a press conference. The crackdown, dubbed Operation Road Test, took down the ring in a joint investigation with state investigators and the US Department of Homeland Security, prosecutors said. 4 Staten Island prosecutors said a Queens driving school ran a DMV pay-to-drive scam for illegal immigrants. Michael McWeeney 'Our investigation found that T&E Driving School blatantly flouted the laws and procedures that are necessary to ensure the public safety on the road,' George Ioannidis, assistant special agent in charge for Homeland Security Investigations in New York said Tuesday. 'As alleged T&E utilized social media and strategic advertising to Target exploited members of the Chinese community and guaranteed individual driver's licenses regardless of their immigration status, language, and even their ability to operate a vehicle,' he said. 'Moreover these individuals were those who did not speak or understand English and may have believed that they all were taking necessary and legitimate steps.' T&E owner Weixian Tan, secretary Weiwen Tan, employee Winnie Yang and school road test driver Wenfeng Yang set up the scam by paying off DMV examiners Aji Idicula, Tianna Rose Andolina and Edward Tarik Queen, according to the indictment. 4 Staten Island DA Michael McMahon said the T&E driving school ran a DMV fraud scam for illegal immigrants. James Messerschmidt 4 Wenfend Yang and three other employees of T&E Driving School are charged with an illegal immigrant DMV scam. Michael McWeeney The examiners would then rubber stamp the wanna-be drivers without even having them take a road test. McMahon said the scam extends beyond the seven named indictments, with two dozen suspects in custody and another indicted DMV employee not identified in the 49-page document. 'The numbers, as we go through this investigation, as we go through the materials that have been seized, we think that we are going to find hundreds if not thousands of people that have been part of this scam,' the prosecutor said. 'The number of tests given by an individual examiner can be about 1,500 a year,' he said. 'Two out of the three examiners have been working for four or five years, so we think this is just the tip of the iceberg.' 4 Staten Island prosecutors said DMV examiners took illegal payoffs to issue fraudulent licenses to immigrants. Getty Images In a statement, McMahon called the pay-to-drive scheme a 'corrosively corrupt' operation centered on DMV workers who 'brazenly betrayed their oaths of office.' The defendants were arraigned on a slew of fraud, tampering and theft charges and were released — the charges are not eligible for bail under the state's controversial 2019 criminal justice reforms. However, they were ordered to surrender their passports.
Irish Independent
12-05-2025
- Politics
- Irish Independent
Councillor condemns ‘totally unacceptable' protest outside his family home over Bundoran IPAS centre
On Saturday evening, a group of protestors marched through Bundoran, stopping at Sinn Féin Cllr Michael McMahon's office, which is located in his family home. The group, who were carrying tri-colours, called for Cllr McMahon to come out on to the street. However, he was at the Ulster Final in Clones at the time and the protestors were met by his wife and children. The protest was organised by those opposed to the accommodation of International Protection Applicants at a local guesthouse. The Department of Justice has confirmed a new International Protection Applicants Centre has been approved at The Viscount, Bayview Avenue, Bundoran. The building has the capacity for 70 people in 21 rooms and it is believed it will be for families and couples seeking international protection. The contract has been signed for one year. The property has previously been contracted to the Department to provide accommodation for Ukrainian citizens. Speaking to Ocean FM, Cllr Michael McMahon said everyone has a right to protest but he felt the protest was aimed against him and his family. He said his wife and daughter felt threatened as the group gathered outside their home. "They came up the street and stood outside my house shouting obscenities to my wife and children. ADVERTISEMENT "This has nothing to do with what they stand for because nobody really knows what they stand for. "I wasn't there, I was at the Ulster final in Clones but they shouted obscenities and nasty stuff to my children, my grandchildren and my great grandchildren. "This is a house, a private residence. "My wife confronted them and told them what was going on and so did one of my daughters. "These are the very people who are saying we need to protect our wives and our families but they came to my house with vengeance. "A young crowd of people. "What is this all about? Why did they do this to me? "I am very supportive of all people irrespective of creed or class,' said Cllr McMahon. Organisers of the protest claim they have attempted to liaise with Cllr McMahon about the plans for the IPAS centre but he has not been forthcoming. In footage of the incident online, the group can be seen outside the property carrying tri-colours and chanting 'Sinn Féin are traitors'. Members of Cllr McMahon's family spoke to individuals in the group and told them, 'he is not the government' and 'he is one man.' Cllr McMahon said he has spoken out about the IPAS centre and the lack of resources and services available in the town. "I have been working on this from day one and working very hard for the people of Bundoran and the surrounding areas. "The one thing I will say is people have the right to protest but when the organisers said they were coming up to my house, a lot of people who do have concerns, did not come up to the house. "They dropped out and said they would not go to anyone's house and I thank them for that, it is much appreciated,' said Cllr McMahon. He added that the actions of the protestors were 'totally unacceptable.' "The intimidation that they done on my family with me not being there is totally unacceptable,' said Cllr McMahon. Cllr McMahon said his wife, who he described as resilient, was left frightened by the incident. He said he will not be intimidated by the protestors and will continue to work for the people of Bundoran. 'I am standing up for the people of the Bundoran, working for the people of Bundoran and the surrounding areas. "I do the work and I am very proud of it. "The government haven't handled this situation well. They should have contacted the people. "During the general election, they said there would be community groups and meetings with the community and that has not happened. "I will not tolerate anyone outside my door interfering with my family when I am not there. "They are the cowards,' said Cllr McMahon.
Korea Herald
18-04-2025
- Politics
- Korea Herald
Former New York police sergeant sentenced to 1 1/2 years in prison for acting as Chinese agent
NEW YORK (Reuters) — A former New York City police sergeant was sentenced to 1 1/2 years in prison on Wednesday over his 2023 conviction for acting as an illegal Chinese agent. Michael McMahon was charged with being hired as a private investigator to surveil a New Jersey resident who was accused by China of corruption, as part of a global campaign by Chinese law enforcement to repatriate alleged criminals living abroad, known as "Operation Fox Hunt." A federal jury in Brooklyn found McMahon guilty of interstate stalking and of acting as an agent of China without notifying the United States attorney general. The jury found him not guilty of conspiracy to act as a foreign agent. McMahon had pleaded not guilty to all charges. 'McMahon, a former law enforcement officer who swore an oath to protect the public, went rogue and dishonorably engaged in a scheme at the direction of the People's Republic of China," John Durham, the top federal prosecutor in Brooklyn, said in a statement. McMahon said he thought he was working for a company seeking to recover embezzled funds, and would not have taken the job if he knew the Chinese government was behind it. "I was unwittingly used," he said in court. McMahon was convicted amid a broader push by former Democratic President Joe Biden's administration to crack down on what it termed transnational repression, or the intimidation and harassment by authoritarian US adversaries such as China or Iran of dissidents on US soil. Republican President Donald Trump's administration, however, has signaled it will scale down criminal enforcement of US foreign influence laws. During her first day on the job in February, Attorney General Pam Bondi said prosecutors would bring criminal cases only when conduct resembles "more traditional espionage," focusing on civil enforcement instead in other scenarios. In handing down the sentence, US District Judge Pamela Chen said changes in prosecutorial priorities had no impact on her decision. "The law is the law," the judge said. McMahon had secured the support of two Republican US Representatives, Michael Lawler of New York and Pete Sessions of Texas. Last year, the two congressmen wrote Chen a letter urging her to spare McMahon prison time, citing his service as a police officer and dedication to his family. Two of McMahon's co-defendants, Yong Zhu and Congying Zheng, were sentenced to two years and 1 1/3 years in prison, respectively.
Japan Times
17-04-2025
- Politics
- Japan Times
Ex-New York cop sentenced to 1½ years' jail for acting as Chinese agent
A former New York City police sergeant was sentenced to 1½ years in prison on Wednesday over his 2023 conviction for acting as an illegal Chinese agent. Michael McMahon was charged with being hired as a private investigator to surveil a New Jersey resident who was accused by China of corruption, as part of a global campaign by Chinese law enforcement to repatriate alleged criminals living abroad, known as "Operation Fox Hunt." A federal jury in Brooklyn found McMahon guilty of interstate stalking and of acting as an agent of China without notifying the U.S. attorney general. The jury found him not guilty of conspiracy to act as a foreign agent. McMahon had pleaded not guilty to all charges. "McMahon, a former law enforcement officer who swore an oath to protect the public, went rogue and dishonorably engaged in a scheme at the direction of the People's Republic of China," John Durham, the top federal prosecutor in Brooklyn, said in a statement. McMahon said he thought he was working for a company seeking to recover embezzled funds, and would not have taken the job if he knew the Chinese government was behind it. "I was unwittingly used," he said in court. McMahon was convicted amid a broader push by Democratic former U.S. President Joe Biden's administration to crack down on what it termed transnational repression, or the intimidation and harassment by authoritarian U.S. adversaries such as China or Iran of dissidents on U.S. soil. Republican President Donald Trump's administration, however, has signaled it will scale down criminal enforcement of U.S. foreign influence laws. During her first day on the job in February, Attorney General Pam Bondi said prosecutors would bring criminal cases only when conduct resembles "more traditional espionage," focusing on civil enforcement instead in other scenarios. In handing down the sentence, U.S. District Judge Pamela Chen said changes in prosecutorial priorities had no impact on her decision. "The law is the law," the judge said. McMahon had secured the support of two Republican U.S. representatives, Michael Lawler of New York and Pete Sessions of Texas. Last year, the two congressmen wrote Chen a letter urging her to spare McMahon prison time, citing his service as a police officer and dedication to his family. Two of McMahon's codefendants, Yong Zhu and Congying Zheng, were sentenced to two years and 1⅓ years in prison, respectively.
