() A former Kentucky driver’s licensing clerk says she was fired after reporting a scheme in which employees sold fraudulent driver’s licenses to immigrants for $200 each, according to a whistleblower lawsuit.
Melissa Moorman worked at Louisville’s Nia Center Licensing Branch through Quantum Solutions, a staffing contractor. She claims the illegal operation occurred four to five times daily for at least two years across multiple state branches.
“The employees were being paid under the table,” Moorman told WDRB News. “I immediately let my supervisor know.”
The scheme involved using fake documents, including Social Security cards and birth certificates, to issue licenses to immigrants illegally living in the U.S. who never took the required tests.
Employees bypassed federal Homeland Security background checks by processing transactions under other workers’ computer logins.
In October 2024, Moorman and her supervisor wrote to the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet reporting the fraud. Two workers she identified were fired in late 2024. After speaking with a detective in January 2025, Moorman was terminated the same day, WDRB reported.
Thousands of drivers have licenses revoked
The state has revoked nearly 2,000 driver’s licenses amid the fraud investigation. Gov. Andy Beshear confirmed Wednesday that 1,985 licenses were canceled after credential reviews revealed they were issued to migrants without proper documentation.
Kentucky law requires non-U.S. citizens to provide legal presence documentation and residency proof for standard licenses. The state verifies applicant status through federal systems.
Now, Kentucky lawmakers are calling for an investigation, affiliate WDKY reported.
Immigration attorney Adienne Trivedi told WDRB that vulnerable immigrants paid the fee to avoid deportation risks.
The Transportation Cabinet sent 1,546 letters warning license holders of “irregularities” and threatening criminal charges if licenses weren’t returned, WDRB reported.
The agency has withheld 2,300 records, citing ongoing investigations with the Kentucky State Police and the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Beshear said he wasn’t “aware” of immigration connections to the fraud investigation when asked in April, despite Moorman’s October letter and repeated media inquiries.
Moorman seeks to regain her job through the lawsuit.
‘s Patrick Djordjevic contributed to this report.
