Employee Terminated for Appearance of Conflict of Interest

An Amtrak senior management official based in Chicago, Illinois, was terminated from employment on February 21, 2025, as a result of our investigation. We found that the employee violated company policies by participating in the hiring process for a newly created position that resulted in the employee selecting a close friend for the position. The employee’s participation in the hiring process, at a minimum, created the appearance of a conflict of interest. During the employee’s interview with our agents, the employee acknowledged that his/her actions could create the appearance of a conflict of interest or bias.