Ontario police charge eight over alleged bribery scheme at DriveTest centres
Ontario Provincial Police charged eight people after an investigation into alleged bribery at DriveTest centres that may have affected about 250 commercial truck licences.
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By Torontoer Staff
Ontario Provincial Police have laid 24 charges against eight people accused of taking part in an alleged bribery scheme at DriveTest centres that affected commercial truck-driving exams between 2021 and 2024.
The charges follow a Serious Fraud Office investigation led by the OPP into suspected irregularities at DriveTest locations in Kingston and the Greater Toronto Area. Investigators say driving instructors from several schools facilitated bribes to examiners, and that roughly 250 applicants passed Class A road tests with examiners later charged in connection with the probe.
What investigators allege
Court documents allege five employees of Serco Canada Inc., the private company that operates DriveTest under a provincial contract, accepted or demanded payments in exchange for manipulating test results. The OPP describes the conduct as involving secret commissions and breach of trust, criminal offences that relate to accepting improper payments and abusing a position of authority.
Approximately 250 applicants passed their driving tests with examiners charged in connection with the investigation.
Tracey Mellersh, OPP spokesperson
Who is charged and what they face
The five people accused of acting as examiners or 'agents' for Serco are named in court documents as Craig Berry, 54, of Kingston; Vishnu Ayyamperumal Kumar, 36, of Oshawa; Victor Imade, 55, of Georgetown; Mandeep Manshahia, 34, of Caledon; and Imraan Jaffer, 43, of North York. They face charges including breach of trust and secret commissions.
Three other defendants, identified as Jaspal Benipal, 58, of Brampton; Harmandeep Sudan, 40, of Brampton; and Navdeep Grewal, 36, of Brampton, are charged with offering secret commissions. Additional money-laundering charges apply to Berry, Grewal, and Manshahia.
Responses from government and company
The Ministry of Transportation requested the police probe in January 2024, according to the OPP. The ministry confirmed to investigators that the accused are no longer employed by Serco. The company did not provide a comment when contacted.
Commercial driver licensing exists to ensure that only qualified, properly trained drivers are on our roads. Anyone who attempts to undermine that system through fraud or criminal activity will be held accountable to the full extent of the law.
Dakota Brasier, spokesperson for Transportation Minister Prabmeet Sarkaria
The ministry has not publicly detailed whether it will review the approximately 250 licences identified during the investigation or how it will handle licence revocation or re-testing. The provincial Auditor-General is separately reviewing the province’s approach to commercial truck driver training, examination and licensing programs.
Industry reaction and safety concerns
Industry groups warn that improperly obtained licences can pose safety risks for other road users. The Ontario Trucking Association called on the government to take stronger enforcement action and more regular inspections of carrier operations.
The carriers that employ these drivers have no fear of government reprisal. Carriers’ places of operation need to be inspected on a regular basis like restaurants.
Steve Laskowski, president, Ontario Trucking Association
Next steps in the case
The defendants named in the court filing have lawyers who say their clients dispute the allegations and will challenge the charges. The matter will proceed through criminal court. Investigators and provincial officials have said they will continue reviewing how commercial licensing is administered.
For drivers and employers, the case highlights scrutiny on training and testing for Class A licences, which permit operation of commercial trucks and require mandatory training and road testing at authorized locations.
The OPP and the Serious Fraud Office have not indicated whether further charges are expected. The court process will determine responsibility and any legal or administrative consequences for those implicated.
DriveTestOPPcommercial licencesSercoroad safety
