AMTRAK EMPLOYEE SENTENCED TO FIVE YEARS PROBATION FOR EMPLOYEE RAIL PASS FRAUD

On July 13, 2017, the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office and Amtrak’s Office of Inspector General (OIG) announced the resolution of charges against Shohana Culberson for defrauding Amtrak of more than $26,000. Culberson was charged with Theft of Services and Criminal Conspiracy, and was subsequently terminated from Amtrak.

Culberson’s criminal activity was uncovered when an Amtrak conductor identified two passengers who could not produce identification for their Employee Rail Pass tickets. Amtrak Police Department (APD) subsequently discovered that the passengers’ tickets were created using the Amtrak Employee Rail Pass assigned to Culberson. APD referred the case to the our office wherein we confirmed that between December 2014 and April 2016 Culberson used her position and rail pass privileges to acquire more than 281 tickets issued, totaling $26,270.

The District Attorney’s Office affirmed charges for defrauding Amtrak of goods and services, and an arrest warrant was issued for Culberson. She later surrendered to APD at the 30th Street Station in Philadelphia. Culberson was sentenced to five years of probation and was ordered to pay restitution to Amtrak.

“I commend the OIG staff and our partners in the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office who investigated this case. It shows that area law enforcement and the Office of Inspector General are committed in preventing and detecting fraud, waste, and abuse whenever and wherever it happens,” said Tom Howard, Amtrak Inspector General.