New York Cabs Accused of Jacking Tourists' Fares

Dozens of New York City taxi drivers have been arrested on charges of quietly doubling the rates that thousands of passengers should have paid. Officials say tourists and residents unsuspectingly overpaid hundreds of thousands of dollars in all. City officials said today that the 59 drivers were among far more who bumped up their meters to a higher suburban rate when they were in the city.

Prosecutors say the cabbies stole a total of more than $235,000 during about 77,000 cab trips. Some 45 drivers were being arraigned on charges of scheming to defraud. Another 14 face petty larceny charges. Taxi and Limousine Commission Chairman David Yassky says officials are pursuing civil penalties against roughly 2,000 drivers over the issue. (More cabbie stories.)