Investigative Reports

An Amtrak lead operational specialist based in Washington, D.C., was terminated from employment on May 27, 2026, following the issuance of our investigative report. Our investigation found that the former employee violated company policy by allowing a non-employee to accompany him in restricted areas without proper authorization and for knowingly submitting expenses and receiving reimbursements for meals for non-company employees. The former employee is not eligible for rehire.

Over a 2-year period, the FTC OIG assessed 23 potential disclosures of nonpublic FTC information (NPI) to the media. To determine whether unauthorized disclosures of NPI occurred and, if so, the source of those disclosures, the OIG conducted extensive investigative activities. Over the course of the investigation, the OIG documented patterns in the disclosures but was unable to identify a responsible individual.   

We found that a gas company produced Federal minerals from wells in Utah but failed to report mineral production or royalties.

An Amtrak gate usher based in Baltimore, Maryland, was terminated from employment on April 28, 2026, following an administrative hearing. Our investigation found that the former employee violated company policy by engaging in outside employment while on medical leave. The former employee is not eligible for rehire.

An Amtrak train attendant based in Chicago, Illinois, was issued a letter of reprimand on April 14, 2026, following a Pre-Trial Diversion Agreement where she agreed to a period of 18 months of supervised release and restitution of $30,933. Our investigation found that the employee applied for and received two Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans for economic losses resulting from the pandemic related to self-employment or a business she allegedly owned. The loan applications included false statements and information, resulting in receipt of $25,833 to which she was not entitled.

A former executive of a Chicago-area non-profit organization has been sentenced to a year in federal prison for misappropriating nearly $1.9 million through a pair of fraud schemes.

We found that a company diverted geothermal resources from a Federal lease without authorization, generated power, and failed to pay royalties.

An Amtrak facilities manager based in Chicago, Illinois, resigned from the company on April 4, 2026, while under investigation. Our investigation found that the former manager violated company policies by not fulfilling his supervisory responsibilities related to a subordinate employee’s procurement card transactions, resulting in unauthorized and fraudulent purchases. The former manager also failed to properly oversee overtime hours claimed by the subordinate employee. The former manager is not eligible for rehire. The subordinate employee previously resigned from his position on September 19, 2025.

We substantiated allegations that the former manager of Chena Bingo embezzled funds from the tribally operated gaming establishment. 

An Amtrak trackman based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was terminated from employment on April 1, 2026, following an administrative hearing. Our investigation found that the former employee requested and properly received Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) unemployment benefits but continued to claim and receive those benefits for 25 days after returning to work, in violation of RRB rules as well as company policies. In addition, the former employee was also found to have improperly stored and lost his Smart ID card and did not replace it in a timely manner, resulting in a failure to swipe in and out of a Time Entry Device. The former employee is not eligible for rehire.

Four former Amtrak employees, Kevin Frink, of Willingboro, New Jersey; Dion Jacob, of Brooklyn, New York David Lonergan, of Rockaway Park, New York, and Quinton Johnson of Irvington, New Jersey, were sentenced on January 8, 2026, February 18, 2026, March 4, 2026, and March 31, 2026, respectively, in U.S. District Court, District of New Jersey. Frink was sentenced to 2 years of probation and ordered to pay $460,174 in restitution; Jacob was sentenced to 2 years of probation and ordered to pay $1,315,259 in restitution; and Lonergan was sentenced to 3 years of probation, 4 months of home confinement and ordered to pay $627,801 in restitution; and Johnson was sentenced to 2 years of probation and ordered to pay $141,666 in restitution. According to court documents, Frink, Jacob, Lonergan, and Johnson were given cash kickbacks for allowing health care providers to use their insurance information to fraudulently bill Amtrak’s health care plan for services that were never provided and that were not medically necessary.

SEC Information Technology supervisor resigned, and two employees were suspended following investigation into whether they golfed during duty hours without taking leave

An Amtrak reservation sales agent based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, resigned from the company on March 30, 2026, while under investigation. Our investigation found that the former employee obtained passenger credit card information and used it to make purchases for himself, as well as booking Amtrak travel for associates. The former employee is not eligible for rehire.

Judicial proceedings are pending.

An Amtrak on-board services supervisor based in Queens, New York, was terminated from employment on March 26, 2026, following his administrative hearing. Our investigation found that the former employee violated company policies by ordering unauthorized cleaning supplies from the company, such as a vacuum cleaner and large commercial-sized containers of cleaning products, and giving them to his girlfriend. While the former employee did not admit to these actions, his former girlfriend provided the stolen items and a text message exchange with the former employee that corroborated the theft. The former employee is not eligible for rehire.

An Amtrak electrician based in Chicago, Illinois, was sentenced March 26, 2026, in the Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois, to two years of probation and was ordered to pay $25,000 in restitution and 30 hours of community service, after pleading guilty to one count of theft by deception. Our investigation found that the employee submitted an application containing false statements to the Small Business Administration to qualify for an Economic Injury Disaster Loan. As a result, the employee received $96,200 to which he was not entitled.

We found a former NPS official failed to comply with an ethics standard when she participated in particular matters involving a former employer. 

We found that an energy company failed to pay required Federal royalties on production from wells in Yuma County, Colorado.