Earlier this year, the Inspector General asked the National Academy of Public Administration (NAPA) to conduct an organizational assessment of the Amtrak Office ofinspector General. The assessment was intended to help the OIG implement the goals in our strategic plan by identifYing our core organizational strengths and weaknesses and developing specific, prioritized actions to improve OIG processes, policies, and management practices. NAPA assembled an expert panel and a project team to conduct the assessment and provided a written report of their assessment on August 31, 2010 (Attached).

Sushil Sheth, a cardiologist, who surrendered his medical license, was sentenced to five years in federal prison for stealing approximately thirteen million dollars from Medicare and more than thirty other public and private health care insurance programs, including one at Amtrak, over roughly five years, Amtrak Inspector General Alves announced today. Sheth provided false information to Medicare and other insurers to receive millions of dollars for medical services which were never rendered to patients.

Douglas L. Thompson, a Financial Specialist who has worked for the National Railroad Passenger Corporation (“Amtrak”) since 1975, has pleaded guilty to embezzling more than $74,000 from Amtrak, U.S. Attorney Jeffrey A. Taylor announced today. Thompson, 60, pleaded guilty earlier today to a one-count Information charging theft from a program receiving federal funds in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia before Magistrate Judge John M. Facciola.