(Sun Media file photo)

TORONTO -- Brampton driving instructor Malvinder Birdi says he doesn't know anything about the charges he faces in a scam that used fake driver's licences to skim millions from banks.

"I have no idea where they got this from," said Birdi, 45, who owns Birdi Driving School.

Birdi, two women who work at the Orangeville office of DriveTest, and a Toronto man were arrested last Friday in Project Mouse by Toronto Police over the issuing of driver's licences with bogus information.

Det. Dan Pravica, of 14 Division, said investigators know of 164 fake licences issued at the Orangeville office of DriveTest and suspect there are another 140.

The private firm has been in charge of driving tests throughout the province since winning a 10-year contract from the ministry in 2003. Examiners at 56 centres have been on strike since the end of August.

"We don't know" how big the scheme is, Pravica said. "This started from a simple fraud that has evolved into a big thing and we're hearing rumours this has been going on for a while."

MILLIONS TAKEN

Banks have been hit for several million dollars, Pravica said, adding that a bank is preparing to seize two properties.

Investigators checked the past 13 months but suspect the ring operated for two years, he said.

Pravica said a man was arrested in June at a downtown bank allegedly committing fraud while using a fake licence.

He said there was nothing unusual about the case until police found that the suspect had two licences with different names. Further digging found a third licence, with the suspect's true identity.

And the trail led to the Orangeville office.

"It happens to be the same employees every time," Pravica alleged.

Birdi said he knows the two charged women because he takes his students to the Orangeville office for road tests.

"I'm going to talk to my lawyer," he said.

He's charged with fraud over $5,000, forgery and conspiracy.

Deborah Chamberlain, 45, of Toronto, and Joanne Mcglennon, 43, of Orangeville, are charged with breach of trust, fraud over $5,000, forgery and conspiracy.

Mohammad Akmal, 31, of Toronto, is charged with fraud under $5,000 and possessing property obtained by crime.

ROB.LAMBERTI@SUNMEDIA.CA