NEW: Foreign Nationals, DMV Workers Indicted In Connection With Plot To Sell Drivers Licenses To Noncitizens

Federal prosecutors in Kentucky have announced charges against five Louisville residents accused of operating a scheme to illegally issue driver’s licenses to non-U.S. citizens.

The accused individuals include Aariel Matthews, 27, and Donnita Wilson, 32, both former clerks with the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC). They are alleged to have issued licenses without requiring applicants to complete mandatory driver’s tests and to have altered records in the state’s credentialing system to make the licenses appear legitimate

Three additional individuals — Robert Danger Correa, 41; Lazaro Alejandro Castello Rojas, 37; and Raul Tellez Ojeda, 32 — are accused of bringing groups of non-U.S. citizens to the office to bypass standard procedures.

Castello Rojas, whose work visa expired in May 2025, is being held on an immigration detainer by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). As of the indictment announcement, Ojeda had not been taken into custody.

The scheme reportedly operated for at least two years, occurring four or five times a day at multiple KYTC branches across the state, including locations in Louisville, Lexington, Elizabethtown, Bowling Green, and Covington. Participants charged between $200 and $1,500 per license, which was collected in cash.

Prosecutors state that the clerks paid kickbacks to colleagues to maintain secrecy about the operation. The indictment notes that detecting the fraud required reviewing manually altered records in the KYTC system, as the licenses otherwise appeared valid

As a result of the investigation, the KYTC has revoked approximately 2,000 credentials statewide.

Each defendant faces 14 counts of mail fraud, one count of mail fraud conspiracy, 14 counts of honest services mail fraud, one count of honest services mail fraud conspiracy, 14 counts of unlawful production of identification documents, and one count of money laundering conspiracy. Convictions on the mail fraud, honest services mail fraud, and money laundering charges could result in up to 20 years in prison per count, while unlawful production of identification documents carries a maximum of 15 years per count.

The case came to light through a whistleblower lawsuit filed in August 2025 by Melissa Moorman, a former clerk at the Nia Center. Moorman claimed she was fired after reporting the scheme to KYTC officials. She stated that employees used her login credentials as part of the fraud but that she refused to participate.

In her lawsuit, Moorman described the operation as involving non-U.S. citizens paying under the table for licenses without tests.

Prosecutors have clarified that the recipients were legally present non-U.S. citizens who may not have fully understood the process and believed they were paying for expedited services. None of the license recipients are facing charges.

“Thanks to the hard work and dedication of law enforcement and state and federal offices, we now have the facts when it comes to this case and we are ready to hold those who violated the law responsible,” Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear said in response to the indictments.

In response to the scandal, the KYTC has introduced new measures to prevent future fraud, including enhanced training on fraud detection, cross-state tracking of licenses, weekly security briefings, new reporting protocols with the Kentucky State Police, and increased supervisory oversight. The case has also prompted discussions among state lawmakers about potential changes to the driver’s licensing system, such as shifting responsibilities to county clerks or closing regional branches.

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