Mia Cox-Johnson, Extortion, Massachusetts 2018

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Table of Contents

Corrupt RMV Manager Takes Bribes for Learner’s Permit Tests

Brockton, MA – In a shocking case of public corruption, former Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV) manager Mia Cox-Johnson, 43, pleaded guilty to two counts of extortion under color of official right and one count of conspiring to commit extortion.

According to court documents, Cox-Johnson accepted money in exchange for agreeing to issue passing learner’s permit test scores to applicants, regardless of whether they actually passed or not. The scheme took place between December 2018 and October 2019, during which time Cox-Johnson conspired with others to take money in exchange for giving customers passing scores on their multiple-choice learner’s permit tests.

On December 28, 2018, Cox-Johnson accepted $1,000 in cash from a friend on behalf of another individual in exchange for giving a passing score to the individual’s relative who had failed the passenger vehicle learner’s permit test six times. Cox-Johnson also agreed to score the relative’s test as having passed, despite the fact that it was taken on paper in English.

On October 21, 2019, a customer came to the Brockton RMV and took three multiple-choice tests needed to pass in order to get a commercial learner’s permit. Cox-Johnson accepted $200 in cash from an individual to score the customer as having passed the tests, despite the fact that the applicant failed one of the tests.

The charges of extortion under color of official right and conspiracy to commit extortion each provide for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000. Sentencing is scheduled for July 20, 2023, before U.S. District Court Judge Denise J. Casper.

U.S. Attorney Rachael S. Rollins praised the efforts of the Homeland Security Investigation’s Document and Benefit Fraud Task Force (DBFTF), which conducted the investigation with valuable assistance from the Mattapoisett Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christine Wichers and Adam Deitch will prosecute the case.

The case is a stark reminder of the importance of public integrity and the need for accountability in positions of power. As a society, we must demand the highest level of ethics and transparency from our public officials, and hold them accountable when they fail to meet those expectations.