BOISE, ID — A 29-year-old Meridian man has pleaded guilty in federal court to a bribery charge tied to a commercial driver’s license (CDL) testing scheme, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Idaho.
Ryan Basnaw admitted to federal program bribery after offering cash to a CDL skills tester in exchange for a passing score without completing the required test, U.S. Attorney Bart M. Davis announced.
According to court records, Basnaw offered and agreed to pay $500 on July 2, 2025, to receive a passing score on a CDL skills test he did not take. Prosecutors said the payment was intended to influence the tester and allow Basnaw to remove three restrictions from his CDL without completing the necessary examination.
In Idaho, CDL applicants must pass a skills test administered by examiners contracted through the Idaho Transportation Department. The agency’s motor vehicle division receives federal funding tied to CDL program requirements, which brings such cases under federal jurisdiction.
Basnaw is scheduled to be sentenced on June 16, 2026. He faces up to 10 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a potential fine of up to $250,000.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Transportation’s Office of Inspector General. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean Mazorol.
