A trucking company owner was charged with bribery in a corruption scandal that has already led to convictions for more than 50 people, many with ties to former Gov. George Ryan, The Associated Press reports.

Hei Yeng Kwok, Chicago, was arrested May 13 and charged with paying $4,000 to a Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration official to overlook problems at his K & W Trading Co.

The federal bribery count was part of Operation Safe Road, which began as an investigation of bribes paid for driver’s licenses and eventually found widespread corruption while Ryan was secretary of state, in the eight years before his 1998 election as governor.

Among those convicted are many of Ryan's friends and former aides. His campaign committee was also convicted of racketeering.

Ryan himself has not been accused of any wrongdoing.

In the Kwok case, authorities said that earlier this year, federal regulators gave his company an unsatisfactory safety rating because he couldn't provide certain records.

When an FMCSA official returned to check on the company last month, Kwok allegedly tried to give him $2,000.

The official later secretly recorded a conversation with Kwok, and authorities said the two agreed on a $4,000 payment.

Kwok was released Tuesday after agreeing to post $25,000 bail.