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Feds: Bribes to PennDot official put dozens of untested, undocumented drivers on Philly roads

An indictment unsealed this week pulled back the curtain on an alleged arrangement between a Philadelphia-based driver's license examiner and a shadowy middleman who paid him nearly $14,000.

Federal prosecutors announced charges Wednesday against former PennDot driver’s license inspector Henry Gibbs.
Federal prosecutors announced charges Wednesday against former PennDot driver’s license inspector Henry Gibbs.Read moreJON SNYDER / Staff

For foreign nationals seeking a less-than-legal way to establish identity in Philadelphia, no obstacle was too great to stop PennDot employee Henry Gibbs from issuing a driver's license, federal prosecutors said Wednesday.

No proof of residency? No problem. Forged or stolen identity documents? Not an issue. Never took the required driver's test? No sweat.

As long as you came with the right amount of cash.

An indictment unsealed this week pulled back the curtain on an alleged arrangement between Gibbs, a Philadelphia-based driver's license examiner, and a shadowy middleman who paid him nearly $14,000 between April 2014 and May 2015 to  unleash more than 30 untested and undocumented drivers on the roadways.

For anywhere from $1,500 to $3,000 apiece, Gibbs' codefendant, Bakary Camara, 30, of Philadelphia by way of Mali, allegedly would help clients through the process for obtaining unearned commercial or noncommercial licenses.

Gibbs, 54, of Yeadon, was released on bond Tuesday after an initial court appearance. His lawyer, Margaret M. Grasso, declined to discuss the case.

The picture painted by prosecutors in their 28-page charging document is of a clear quid pro quo.

Camara often met his clients in the parking lot of the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation driver's license center at 2320 Island Ave., in Eastwick, where Gibbs was assigned to work.

Camara allegedly accepted the cash before passing it along to Gibbs with documents ranging from falsified insurance records to forged telephone bills and tax letters with stolen Social Security numbers to prove his clients' identities.

Although he knew the documents to be fakes, Gibbs entered them all into state databases and often filled out driving test forms for Camara's clients himself, according to the indictment. In some cases, prosecutors said, he simply copied the results from other drivers' tests.

Few details were available Wednesday on how investigators uncovered the purported scheme or about the dozens who paid to illicitly obtain a license. All were referred to in the indictment solely by their initials.

Alexis Campbell, a PennDot spokeswoman, said Wednesday that Gibbs' employment with the agency ended shortly after the alleged misconduct in his indictment.

"PennDot is pleased with the outcome of the investigation, and worked closely with the Department of Homeland Security throughout the investigation," she said.

Camara remained in federal custody pending a detention hearing set for Friday. It was not immediately clear whether he had retained a lawyer.

Gibbs and Camara each face federal charges of bribery and conspiracy – crimes carrying potential sentences of up to 15 years.

In addition, Gibbs faces additional charges of lying to investigators about the purported payoffs, and Camara is charged with aggravated identity theft.