Kane Dane
On Thursday, a worker at Orlando International Airport was arrested for accepting bribes to allow illegal taxis to pick up passengers.
An arrest report states that 50-year-old Felix Garcia Madera, who was a traffic expert at the airport, was given $10 as a bribe by the non-permitted taxis per trip.
The 50-year-old traffic expert arrest after an Orlando Police Department officer who was working at the airport, Sergeant William C. Becton, got anonymous news that the workers of the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority’s Traffic Enforcement section were accepting bribes from illegal taxi drivers.
On December 20, at around 11 pm, Becton noticed a black Mercedes pull up outside terminal B. The officer said that after its window rolled down, Garcia Madera leaned in briefly before leaving.
The black Mercedes was violating airport traffic laws by parking in a no-parking, no-standing, and no-idling area. Then, as the officer observed, its driver attempted to approach a passenger for a ride. The officer held the car and issued a notice to the driver of the black Mercedes to appear in court for breaking the city ordinance.
Becton then ordered to view the Cash App application on the driver’s phone.
The app revealed about eight transactions between the driver and a “Felix Garcia,” whose image in the app resembled like Garcia Madera.
Police got permission to check Garcia Madera’s phone days later and questioned him on Monday night. Police found out that Garcia Madera was the one who was taking bribes from the illegal taxis.
Garcia Madera has been charged with bribery by a public servant, receiving unlawful benefits for official behavior, illegal use of a communication device, and cheating, all crimes.
He was kept in Orange County Jail and remained there till Friday morning, with a bail of $5,450.
