Federal agencies say the new Joint Task Force Crossroads of America will target fraudulent CDL training and testing, identity and document fraud, unauthorized employment and suspected criminal activity across the commercial trucking industry.

DETROIT (FNN) — The Justice, Transportation and Homeland Security departments have launched a sweeping federal initiative targeting alleged fraud and public-safety violations in the commercial trucking industry, including questionable driver training, commercial driver’s license testing, identity fraud and suspected criminal activity.

Eight U.S. attorneys joined federal transportation and homeland security officials Aug. 31 to announce Joint Task Force Crossroads of America, a multistate law enforcement partnership initially bringing together U.S. attorney’s offices in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and Ohio with federal, state and local agencies.

The initiative brings together DOJ, the Department of Transportation, Department of Homeland Security, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and other law enforcement agencies.

Among the most immediate actions, FMCSA announced the emergency removal of more than 110 commercial driver training providers associated with more than 5,000 drivers who failed federal English-language proficiency requirements. The agency is also proposing removal of more than 160 additional training providers and launching a nationwide audit of third-party CDL skills testers.

DHS, meanwhile, announced enforcement activity involving more than 200 driving schools and related businesses across 23 states.

Federal Government Targets CDL Fraud

Federal officials say the initiative is designed to identify fraudulent training and licensing practices while determining whether trucking companies, schools, testing operations or other businesses are circumventing federal requirements.

Attorney General Todd Blanche said DOJ will work with federal, state and local partners to investigate and prosecute alleged fraud affecting highway safety.

“The safety of American roadways affects everyone across the country,” Blanche said in the federal announcement.

Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy said federal transportation regulators need law enforcement support to pursue suspected fraud involving training schools and other participants in the commercial licensing system.

The government’s announcement also included broader claims by administration officials concerning immigration enforcement and highway safety. Those statements represent the administration’s characterization of the problem; the specific enforcement actions announced by FMCSA focus on compliance with federal commercial-driver training, testing and qualification requirements.

110 CDL Training Providers Face Emergency Removal

FMCSA said it examined roadside inspection records involving commercial drivers cited for failing federal English-language proficiency requirements and compared those records with its Training Provider Registry.

That analysis identified training providers that repeatedly certified drivers who subsequently failed the federal requirement, according to the agency.

FMCSA said it will emergency-remove more than 110 Entry-Level Driver Training providers from its registry. The affected providers must cease federally recognized training operations, including classroom and behind-the-wheel instruction.

The government says those schools are associated with more than 5,000 drivers who failed English-language proficiency tests.

Removal from the federal registry is an administrative action and should not, by itself, be characterized as a criminal conviction or finding of criminal fraud.

40-State Investigation Finds Training Problems

The enforcement campaign extends beyond the 110 providers.

FMCSA said it deployed 175 investigators across 40 states in July to conduct nearly 400 investigations of entry-level driver training providers.

According to the agency, investigators identified problems including instructors who lacked appropriate licenses, inadequate facilities for required driving maneuvers and missing assessment records.

One provider allegedly claimed its classroom operated from a school bus located inside the back of a trailer, according to FMCSA.

The investigations resulted in more than 160 notices of proposed removal from the federal Training Provider Registry.

FMCSA further said drivers certified by those providers have been linked to 239 commercial motor vehicle-related fatalities.

That figure warrants careful distinction: the agency’s release describes the drivers as linked to those fatalities; it does not establish from that statistic alone that training deficiencies caused each crash.

Nationwide Audit of CDL Skills Testers

Federal regulators are also turning their attention to the people and organizations administering commercial driving tests.

FMCSA announced a nationwide audit of third-party CDL skills testers and state oversight of those testers.

The agency said more than 28,000 commercial drivers have been placed out of service for English-language proficiency violations since June 2025. FMCSA argues that the number raises concerns about whether testing and state oversight are consistently enforcing federal requirements.

States found substantially out of compliance with federal CDL requirements can face corrective action and, eventually, financial consequences.

According to FMCSA, unresolved substantial noncompliance can result in withholding of federal highway funds—up to 4% initially and potentially 8% in subsequent years. Serious deficiencies can also lead toward decertification of a state’s CDL program.

DHS Targets More Than 200 Driving Schools

DHS is conducting a parallel criminal-investigation and immigration-enforcement effort.

Homeland Security Investigations said its initiative is examining suspected CDL fraud, unauthorized employment, identity-document fraud, financial crimes, money laundering and labor exploitation, along with potential connections to human smuggling, drug trafficking and cartel activity.

Those categories describe investigative targets and potential violations identified by DHS; they do not mean every school, trucking company or driver contacted by investigators has committed a crime.

According to the federal announcement, HSI planned coordinated activity involving more than 200 driving schools across 23 states and said more than 1,000 business leads had been distributed to investigators.

Field offices had also issued more than 80 notices of inspection and opened multiple investigations, according to DHS.

Investigations Include DMV Employees, Medical Certifications and Trucking Companies

Federal authorities disclosed several categories of ongoing investigations.

HSI said investigators are examining allegations that some state motor vehicle employees accepted payments to help applicants circumvent driver’s license and CDL requirements.

Other investigations involve suspected misuse of B-1/B-2 visa holders for domestic cargo transportation, potentially improper medical certifications, identity fraud and alleged labor exploitation involving visa holders.

DHS also said investigators are examining possible shell companies, financial crimes and transportation businesses potentially connected to broader criminal activity.

Because many of these matters remain investigations, allegations of misconduct have not necessarily resulted in criminal charges or convictions.

Federal Trucking Enforcement Reaches Florida

The federal initiative also includes activity in Florida.

According to the government’s announcement, DHS’s Enforcement and Removal Operations Miami Field Office coordinated an operation with the Florida Department of Transportation, FMCSA and commercial vehicle enforcement authorities during the week of Aug. 24.

Other coordinated operations were identified in Illinois, Indiana, Maine, Michigan and Wisconsin.

DHS also identified several broader enforcement initiatives involving commercial transportation, including Operation ICE Wall, Operation Guardrail and Operation Freightliner.

What It Means for Trucking Companies and CDL Schools

The initiative significantly expands federal scrutiny beyond individual commercial drivers.

Training schools could face removal from FMCSA’s registry, while third-party testers will face a nationwide audit. State licensing agencies could also come under federal review if regulators identify systemic compliance failures.

Trucking companies may face additional scrutiny involving driver qualifications, employment authorization, federal employment records and compliance with commercial vehicle regulations.

At the same time, the government’s actions distinguish between administrative enforcement and criminal prosecution. A provider’s removal from a federal training registry does not automatically establish criminal fraud, while criminal cases require prosecutors to establish violations under applicable law.

Joint Task Force Brings Multiple Agencies Together

Joint Task Force Crossroads of America combines the U.S. attorney’s offices in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and Ohio with agencies including FMCSA, FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

Eight U.S. attorneys participated in the announcement, representing federal districts in Michigan, Indiana, Ohio and Illinois.

Federal officials say the task force’s goals include reducing highway fatalities and serious injuries, identifying criminal networks, deterring fraudulent trucking practices and improving coordination among federal, state and local authorities.

What’s Next?

FMCSA is expected to proceed with the emergency removal of the identified training providers while continuing proposed-removal proceedings involving more than 160 others.

Federal transportation officials will also conduct the nationwide examination of third-party CDL skills testers and state oversight programs.

DHS and HSI investigations into suspected licensing fraud, unauthorized employment, document fraud and related financial crimes are continuing, while the newly established DOJ task force provides a mechanism for federal prosecutors and law enforcement agencies to coordinate potential criminal cases.

The next major question will be how many of the regulatory investigations ultimately produce administrative sanctions, license actions or federal criminal charges.

For drivers, trucking companies and CDL schools, the announcement signals that federal enforcement is expanding from roadside driver inspections into the broader system responsible for training, testing, licensing and employing commercial drivers.

Federal investigators recovered both flight recorders after the Boeing 767 operated by 21 Air for Amazon struck vehicles and traveled about 1,300 feet beyond the runway at Miami International Airport.

MIAMI, Fla. (FNN) — Federal investigators are working to determine why an Amazon cargo jet overran a runway at Miami International Airport by about 1,300 feet Sunday, struck vehicles inside and outside the airport perimeter and crashed, killing five people and injuring at least five others.

The Boeing 767, operated by 21 Air LLC for Amazon, was arriving from San Juan, Puerto Rico, when it overran the runway at about 2 p.m. Sunday. It was the aircraft’s third flight of the day, according to investigators.

National Transportation Safety Board Chair Jennifer Homendy described the crash site Monday as an area of extensive devastation and debris.

Investigators have recovered both the flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder, which could provide critical information about the aircraft’s approach, touchdown, speed, braking performance and crew communications.

The NTSB has not determined the probable cause of the crash.

NTSB: Jet Struck Vehicles After Leaving Runway

The five people killed were in two vehicles struck by the aircraft after it left the runway, according to the NTSB.

Investigators said the jet first struck a 2021 white Ford Econoline van owned by Professional Ocean Service Corp., an airline cleaning contractor. Seven people were inside the van.

The aircraft then broke through an airport perimeter fence and struck a Toyota Corolla Cross outside airport property.

The jet continued through another fence near an area where Tesla robotaxis were stationed before coming to rest, according to Homendy.

The crash left a large debris field that investigators are documenting as they reconstruct the aircraft’s path.

Five Killed, At Least Five Injured

The human toll extends beyond the aviation and airport investigation.

According to the NTSB, all five fatalities were among people in the two vehicles struck during the runway overrun. At least five other people were injured.

The circumstances put particular attention on what happened after the aircraft left the paved runway and traveled beyond the airport boundary.

Investigators will examine the entire accident sequence before determining what factors contributed to the fatalities.

Flight Recorders Recovered as NTSB Investigates Cause

The central question remains unanswered: Why couldn’t the aircraft stop before reaching the end of the runway?

Homendy cautioned Monday that investigators would not determine probable cause while working at the scene.

The NTSB is examining whether the aircraft touched down too far along the runway to stop safely and whether the crew should have abandoned the landing and performed a go-around. Investigators are also expected to analyze the aircraft’s speed, braking performance, mechanical condition, weather and runway conditions.

Video of the landing is also expected to play an important role in reconstructing the sequence of events.

The flight data recorder can provide technical information about the aircraft’s speed, altitude, control inputs and systems. The cockpit voice recorder can help investigators establish crew communications and other conditions inside the cockpit during the final phase of the flight.

Investigators will combine that evidence with wreckage examinations, maintenance records, air traffic control information, weather data, surveillance video and witness interviews.

Could the Miami Crash Have Been Prevented?

It is too early to determine.

The NTSB has not concluded that pilot actions, mechanical problems, weather, runway conditions or airport infrastructure caused or contributed to the accident.

One issue under scrutiny is the protection available when an aircraft overruns a runway.

Miami International Airport does not have the type of aircraft arresting system installed at some airports, according to AP reporting. MIA instead has a 1,000-foot runway safety buffer and complies with applicable requirements.

That distinction is important: The absence of an arresting system does not establish that airport infrastructure caused the crash or fatalities.

Investigators will need to determine first why the aircraft overran the runway and then whether different safety measures could have prevented the accident or reduced its severity.

The findings could eventually lead to recommendations involving aircraft operations, runway-overrun protection, airport infrastructure or carrier procedures — but any such conclusions would come after the evidence is analyzed.

Amazon-21 Air Safety Relationship Under Review

Another significant part of the investigation will focus on the relationship between Amazon and 21 Air.

The aircraft was carrying cargo for Amazon but was operated by 21 Air.

Homendy said investigators want to understand the responsibilities of each company, including what safety provisions are contained in contracts, policies and operating arrangements.

That examination could help establish how operational and safety responsibilities were divided between the cargo customer and the airline operating the aircraft.

Amazon has said it is cooperating with the investigation.

Crash Causes Major Disruptions at Miami International Airport

The crash also caused significant disruptions at one of the nation’s busiest aviation gateways.

More than 160 flights were canceled and nearly 325 delayed by late Sunday, according to FlightAware data reported by The Associated Press.

Disruptions continued Monday as aircraft and flight crews remained out of position.

Miami International Airport reported that two of its four runways remained closed and advised passengers to contact their airlines before traveling to the airport.

The closures are especially significant because of MIA’s enormous passenger and cargo operations.

The airport handled approximately 55.3 million passengers and 3.4 million U.S. tons of freight in 2025, according to official MIA statistics. The airport has four runways and recorded nearly 499,000 commercial aircraft movements last year.

That makes prolonged runway restrictions potentially consequential for passenger travel, international commerce and South Florida’s logistics network.

What’s Next?

NTSB investigators are expected to continue documenting the wreckage, examining the aircraft and runway, interviewing witnesses and reviewing operational and maintenance records.

Analysis of the cockpit voice and flight data recorders will be particularly important in determining where the aircraft touched down, how fast it was traveling, how much runway remained and how the aircraft’s braking and other systems performed.

Investigators will also examine weather and runway conditions, flight crew actions, air traffic control communications and the Amazon-21 Air operating relationship.

The NTSB’s investigation process separates the collection of factual evidence from its eventual determination of probable cause. The agency maintains public investigation records and dockets as cases progress.

Federal prosecutors allege Erekle Gugava helped move proceeds from a transnational fraud operation that used stolen identities and submitted at least $1.3 billion in fraudulent medical-equipment claims to Medicare and private insurers.

BOSTON (FNN) — A federal grand jury in Massachusetts has indicted a 33-year-old Georgian national on a money laundering conspiracy charge stemming from an alleged $1.3 billion health care fraud operation, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.

Federal prosecutors allege Erekle Gugava served as a money launderer for a transnational criminal organization accused of orchestrating a multibillion-dollar scheme targeting Medicare and other health insurers.

The Justice Department announced the indictment Friday, Sept. 4.

According to DOJ, the organization, which prosecutors said was based in Russia and elsewhere, was previously identified through Operation Gold Rush, part of what the department has described as the largest health care fraud case it has prosecuted.

DOJ: $1.3 Billion in Allegedly Fraudulent Claims

According to charging documents cited by DOJ, Gugava purportedly owned ND Medical Solutions LLC, a Pennsylvania durable medical equipment company, from February through July 2025.

During that five-month period, prosecutors allege ND Medical submitted at least $1.3 billion in fraudulent durable medical equipment claims to Medicare, private insurers providing Medicare supplemental coverage, employer-sponsored health plans and other insurers.

Those insurers paid ND Medical approximately $6.5 million, according to the Justice Department.

The distinction between the $1.3 billion and $6.5 million figures is significant: DOJ alleges $1.3 billion was billed, while approximately $6.5 million was actually paid to the company.

Prosecutors Allege Money Was Transferred Overseas

Federal prosecutors allege Gugava facilitated the deposit and transfer of proceeds generated by the scheme.

According to DOJ, Gugava opened several bank accounts in ND Medical’s name and was the sole signatory. Checks from Medicare supplemental insurers and other health insurers were allegedly deposited into those accounts.

Prosecutors allege the money was ultimately transferred to overseas bank accounts for the benefit of the transnational organization.

“Fraud networks cannot function without people willing to launder and transmit their proceeds,” Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald of DOJ’s National Fraud Enforcement Division said in the department’s announcement.

McDonald said prosecutors allege Gugava helped move fraud proceeds through domestic and international financial channels.

DOJ: Stolen Identities Used to Support Claims

The alleged scheme also involved stolen identities, according to federal prosecutors.

DOJ said the fraudulent claims relied in part on identities belonging to people in Massachusetts, elsewhere in New England and across the United States.

Some were elderly or disabled Americans who reported receiving insurance explanation-of-benefits forms showing medical equipment they said they never received, according to the Justice Department.

Prosecutors said some records also identified doctors the beneficiaries said they had never visited and listed equipment as coming from ND Medical, a company with which they said they were unfamiliar.

Operation Gold Rush

DOJ said Gugava’s case is connected to Operation Gold Rush, an investigation targeting a transnational organization accused of exploiting Medicare and other insurers.

According to the Justice Department, the organization allegedly used payments originating from legitimate government programs and established insurance companies to facilitate money laundering. Because the payments came from legitimate insurers, prosecutors contend the proceeds initially appeared legitimate.

The department previously identified Operation Gold Rush as part of its broader national effort targeting health care fraud.

Six Federal Agencies Investigating

The investigation involves multiple federal law enforcement and oversight agencies, including:

• Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General
• FBI
• U.S. Postal Inspection Service
• IRS Criminal Investigation
• Homeland Security Investigations
• Department of Labor’s Employee Benefits Security Administration

Prosecutors from DOJ’s National Fraud Enforcement Division’s Health Care Fraud Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts are handling the case.

Defendant Faces Up to 20 Years if Convicted

Gugava is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering.

If convicted, he faces a statutory maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison, according to DOJ. A maximum statutory penalty does not indicate what sentence would ultimately be imposed if a defendant is convicted.

The Justice Department also described Gugava in its announcement as an “illegal alien from Georgia.” That description reflects DOJ’s characterization of his immigration status in its Sept. 4 press release.

DOJ Expands Federal Fraud Enforcement

The Justice Department said the prosecution is part of its broader federal campaign against fraud involving government benefit programs.

According to DOJ, its Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program has charged more than 6,200 defendants since 2007 in cases involving more than $45 billion in alleged billings to federal health care programs and private insurers.

The department also announced the creation of its National Fraud Enforcement Division earlier this year to coordinate investigations and prosecutions involving fraud against federal programs and the public.

Indictment Contains Allegations

An indictment is a formal accusation and does not establish guilt.

Gugava is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.