Over 50 Of The Worst Scheming Taxi Drivers Arrested

Fifty-nine taxi drivers who were implicated in a massive passenger fraud scheme earlier this year were arrested by police today. These drivers were considered the "worst of the worst" offenders, charging passengers out-of-town rates while still within city limits. Altogether, taxi drivers ripped passengers off approximately $1.1 million during the course of 286,000 trips in a 20-month period. "Although these drivers stole from their customers a few dollars at a time, these scams amounted to a massive fraud that cast suspicion on an industry that is a vital part of our life and economy," said Manhattan DA Cy Vance.

Some of the drivers arrested will be charged with felonies, others with misdemeanors, and if convicted, could face up to four years in prison. Among those arrested were two of the absolute worst offenders, Santiago Rossi and Mfamara Camara. Rossi, 66, overcharged riders approximately $11,066.45 over the course of 5,127 trips. Camara, 38, ripped riders off $15,502.30, over just 4,772 trips. Previously, the six worst offenders were all fined and had their licenses revoked. Some still have questions about the validity of the investigation: "We still question what evidence the DA has when all of this is based on a technology known for misreporting and breakdowns," said Bhairavi Desai, head of the New York Taxi Workers Alliance.

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Ben Yakas in News on September 22, 2010 4:19 PM

Comments [rss]

Frederick Dsouza

if the authorities really is concerned about passengers not getting cheated then they should set the meter automatically to double the rate once the taxi passes city limits . Meter should not function double the rate within city limit . This loophole is deliberately allowed by authorities so that they can have an excuse to punish drivers. Yellow cabs have exclusive rights to hailing passengers so why the authorities allow Liveries and limousine to cheat yellow cab drivers.

random transplant

A couple dollar's worth of fraud is small potato's to the serious infractions these "professional drivers" seem to make every couple blocks. Stopping short in the middle of traffic, using oncoming traffic & bike lanes as turning lanes without giving right of way, speeding, running red lights, cutting people off....the list goes on and on.

NYC cabbies pay less attention to the law than just about any other tax-paying employee I've ever encountered.

In this economy, with the prevalence of GPS mapping & unemployed drivers license holders, it is unbelievable how much bad work is tolerated in the livery industry & how low NYC resident's standards of acceptable behavior really are.

I care far less about couple dollar's fraud than seeing my biking friends get their hospital bills covered by the "businesses" causing their accidents in the course of ticket-able but unenforced moving violations.

Once again, Bloomburg's administration takes credit for maintaining the status quo & sticking up for for the few of us who can actually afford cab rides on a regular basis.

John L

This is great, anyone stealing from the public needs to be arrested but Cy Vance we need you to go after the big boys too. You're not going to make a name for yourself going after cabbies overcharging passengers a few bucks, however wrong that may be.

By the way Vance how's Bloomberg's illegal campaign funds investigation going? You know your predecessor, Morgenthau, was specifically targeting Bloomberg but I see you cleverly changed directions and made John F. Haggerty the fall guy in that investigation.

Are you scared of Bloomberg?

Or did he buy you off, with some campaign contributions too?

WrecklessAbandon

Am I missing something? $1.1m for 286,000 rides over 20 months. That comes to an average of about $4 per ride overcharge. Over 20 months. Now any overcharging is bad, but is $4 the "worst of the worst"?