Overview
- The five defendants, whose trial opened Thursday in Heilbronn, are charged with 59 cases carried out across Baden‑Württemberg and parts of Bavaria.
- Prosecutors say the group, which included two driving‑school owners, sent lookalikes to sit theory or practical tests for clients, taking in about €180,000 as fees ranged from roughly €2,000 to as high as €15,000.
- Investigators say a suspicious examiner’s tip led to a June 2025 raid with 130 officers that seized a five‑figure cash sum, luxury cars and blank‑firing pistols.
- A stand‑in linked to the network was convicted in March for 31 exams and was sentenced in Heilbronn to three and a half years in prison.
- TÜV reports more than 4,200 cheating attempts in 2025 and urges mandatory suspensions, medical‑psych exams and clear criminal penalties for organized schemes that use stand‑ins and hidden tech.