Can the dmv suspend my registration for penalties my ex husband owes?

My ex husbands license and registration got suspended. My car was registered to him so therefore the plates were suspended. He sold me the car so I could then register it in my own name seeing how we have not lived at the same address for 4 years. I had to clear up an excise tax in order to do so and that's why the car was registered to him in the first place. He went to the division of motor vehicles to try and reinstate his license and such and the woman turned around and suspended my registration saying we were trying to get around the law. Can she do that? He still has to serve his suspension date and pay all fines and reinstatement fees so I don't see how that is trying to get around the law seeing it has nothing to do with me. Also, she told him to just tell me it's suspended...I have not legally received a letter in the mail stating that my registration has been suspended.