Former CDL school owner sentenced for bribery

PHILADELPHIA — The former owner of a commercial driver’s license (CDL) training school has been sentenced to 57 months in federal prison for bribing an examiner to pass unqualified students

According to a news release from United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero, Vladimir Tsymbalenko, the former owner of Vlad’s CDL School in Philadelphia, has also been sentenced three years of supervised release and a $5,000 fine by United States District Court Judge Jeffrey L. Schmehl for bribing a CDL examiner to pass some of Tsymbalenko’s students who did not actually pass, or never even took, the CDL examination, and for asking a witness to lie.

“Corruption and fraud, at any level, is not tolerated, especially for licensing standards designed to keep our community safe,” said Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Philadelphia. “The FBI will continue to work alongside our federal, state and local partners to pursue those who orchestrate these fraudulent schemes which undermine the integrity of these licenses.”

On Oct. 11, 2023, Tsymbalenko pleaded guilty to one count of bribery concerning programs receiving federal funds and one count of witness tampering.

“The last thing anyone should want on our roads are people behind the wheel of big rigs or school buses with bogus CDL certifications,” Romero said. “Licensure standards are intended to ensure that someone has the training and skills needed to safely move these huge vehicles and their cargo — human or otherwise — from Point A to Point B. As Tsymbalenko’s nearly five-year prison sentence shows, my office and our partners will work to hold accountable anyone seeking to evade such critical government regulations.”

Christopher A. Scharf, regional special agent in charge for the Department of Transportation’s Office of Inspector General, said that Tsymbalenko’s demonstrates the government’s commitment to pursuing individuals in the motor carrier industry who are willing to compromise the safety of the traveling public for personal gain.

“Working with our agency, law enforcement and prosecutorial partners, we remain focused in our efforts to prevent, detect and prosecute fraud schemes that compromise the integrity of DOT’s safety programs,” he added.

John Worthen

Born in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, and raised in East Texas, John Worthen returned to his home state to attend college in 1998 and decided to make his life in The Natural State. Worthen is a 20-year veteran of the journalism industry and has covered just about every topic there is. He has a passion for writing and telling stories. He has worked as a beat reporter and bureau chief for a statewide newspaper and as managing editor of a regional newspaper in Arkansas. Additionally, Worthen has been a prolific freelance journalist for two decades, and has been published in several travel magazines and on travel websites.