Five California Department of Motor Vehicles employees are charged in San Diego in what federal prosecutors say was a scheme that produced hundreds of fraudulent driver licenses for bribes of up to $3,000 each.
The complaint announced Wednesday says the corruption scheme was centered at offices in suburban El Cajon and Rancho San Diego. It names 16 other defendants.
Four state employees and the head of a driving school in El Cajon are charged with bribery. The others are charged with conspiracy.
One employee allegedly said one applicant was likely to kill someone on the road but agreed to issue a license anyway.
The FBI made 17 arrests Wednesday in San Diego, Los Angeles and Orange counties. The Department of Motor Vehicles says it began revoking the licenses.
