8 LaGuardia Airport Taxi Dispatchers Accused Of Taking Bribes To Let Cabbies Cut Line
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) -- Authorities say an undercover bribery sting has led to the arrest of eight taxi dispatchers at LaGuardia Airport.
Typically, taxi drivers at LaGuardia first have to queue in a holding area, sometimes for several hours, waiting their turn to pick up passengers, WCBS 880's Jim Smith reported.
8 LaGuardia Airport Taxi Dispatchers Accused Of Taking Bribes To Let Cabbies Cut Line
But Queens District Attorney Richard Brown said the dispatchers' scheme allowed drivers who paid cash to cut the line as other drivers waited their turn.
"Allowing a few unscrupulous drivers to beat the system, get to the front of the line," Brown said.
The district attorney said the bribes were only $5 to $10 at a time, but over an eight-hour shift, those bribes could add up.
"A dishonest dispatcher has the opportunity to make hundreds of dollars a day on a daily basis," Brown said.
The defendants were working for an airport contractor. All eight are charged with receiving bribes, unlawful gratuities, and official misconduct, Smith reported.
If convicted, they face up to two years in prison.
(TM and © Copyright 2015 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2015 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
