MONTEGO BAY, St James — A St James motorist who seemingly thought a $10,000 “tip” tucked inside his car papers could smooth over a traffic stop ended up learning that bribery comes with a far steeper price tag — $75,000 in fines.

Eric Buchanan was hit with the costly reality check when he appeared before Judge Natiesha Fairclough-Hylton in the St James Parish Court last Wednesday on a bribery charge.

The date of the incident was not disclosed.