Investigative Reports

We substantiated allegations that an operator failed to get BSEE approval before installing equipment and did not report a discharge or gas leak.

Robert Bluefort, a resident of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty to access device fraud, identity theft, theft by deception, and other related charges and was sentenced on April 29, 2026, in the Court of Common Pleas of Philadelphia County, to 5 – 23 months in prison, 3 years of probation and was ordered to pay a negotiated amount of $10,000 in restitution. Our investigation found that Bluefort used compromised payment card information to fraudulently purchase Amtrak tickets totaling $47,659.

Two Amtrak machinists based in Beech Grove, Indiana, were issued letters of reprimand on April 29, 2026, as a result of our investigation. The first employee was issued a written reprimand in lieu of an administrative hearing for fabricating a tool for his own use in the Beech Grove shop in violation of company policy. The second employee was reprimanded after management could not locate him for an interview with our agents.

An Amtrak Police Department (APD) official received a 10-day suspension without pay on April 24, 2026. Our investigation found that the employee violated company policies and the APD Code of Conduct by preparing and submitting two applications for Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) for his private businesses using a company-issued computer. He also used a company-issued computer and his company email to perform work and store documents for his personal businesses. In addition, we also found that the employee failed to disclose to APD Command Staff the ownership of his two outside businesses and that he performed armed security work for a hotel.

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.