Semiannual Report to Congress #73 (October 1, 2025 to March 31, 2026)

I am pleased to submit the Amtrak Office of Inspector General (OIG) Semiannual Report to the United States Congress for the six months ending March 31, 2026, which summarizes our independent and objective reviews and investigations related to Amtrak’s programs and operations.

Amtrak (the company) is no longer simply planning for transformation; it is now executing a sustained, multi‑year effort to modernize its fleet, infrastructure, facilities, and technology, while simultaneously delivering safe, reliable, and efficient passenger rail service across a national network. Successfully carrying out these responsibilities requires disciplined planning, deliberate implementation, and, importantly, coordinated oversight given the increasing scale, complexity, and organization‑wide impact these efforts have.

Our audit work is a central component of the oversight effort. During this reporting period, we focused on major programs that underscore the execution challenges Amtrak faces as it simultaneously advances multiple, complex long‑term initiatives. In our audit of Amtrak’s role in the Hudson Tunnel Project—the largest federally funded mass transit project in U.S. history—we found that, while the company has made meaningful progress meeting several near‑term responsibilities, additional steps are needed to clarify roles with external partners, strengthen engagement with internal stakeholders, and improve how project information is managed over the life of the project. These issues are critical given Amtrak’s long‑term responsibilities as the future owner and operator of this asset.

Similarly, our audit of the National Facilities Program examined the company’s efforts to align its $4 billion maintenance facility upgrades with major fleet procurements, including NextGen Acela, Airo, and future long‑distance equipment. We found that delays in planning and the absence of a fully developed program management framework have contributed to misalignment between planned fleet deployment and facility readiness, increasing the risk that new equipment will not be fully utilized as it enters service. More broadly, our audit work continues to contribute to our long-standing body of work that highlights how early planning, clear roles and responsibilities, and stronger coordination can reduce program and project risks, which is especially important as Amtrak dramatically increases its capital spending and infrastructure work.

In addition to the challenges Amtrak faces with its burgeoning capital portfolio, the company must also guard against persistent risks of fraud, waste, and abuse that can undermine operations, erode public trust, and divert resources from their intended purposes. Our investigative work during this reporting period addressed a wide range of misconduct—including procurement and contract bribery, health care fraud, pandemic‑relief fraud, and theft of passenger property. For example, a corruption scheme our office has been investigating at Philadelphia’s 30th Street Station resulted in prison sentences and more than $2 million in restitution for four executives of a masonry contractor who bribed an Amtrak project manager in exchange for favorable contract modifications and internal project information. The scheme spanned several years, involved millions of dollars in change orders, and was uncovered after we received a tip to our hotline. In addition to prison time and restitution, the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) also suspended the perpetrators from participating in all federally funded procurement and non-procurement activities.

Our investigations also identified employee misconduct that exploited federal programs and company benefit systems or targeted passenger property. These cases include multiple pandemic‑relief fraud cases involving current and former employees, health care fraud schemes in which employees accepted cash kickbacks to facilitate fraudulent medical billing, and thefts from company facilities and trains, including a $30,000 jewelry theft. In the latter case, our investigators successfully recovered the jewelry from a pawnshop and returned it to its rightful owners. Investigative efforts over the past six months have also resulted in $5.6 million from recoveries, restitution, forfeitures, and other financial outcomes, as well as 11 convictions, 20 indictments, 23 arrests, and 33 administrative actions (terminations and disciplinary actions).

Over the next six months, we will continue to focus our oversight on high‑impact risks facing the company, including the execution of major capital and fleet programs, safety and security challenges, procurement integrity, technology and cybersecurity risks, and the delivery of equitable and reliable service to passengers, including those with disabilities. As Amtrak’s responsibilities continue to evolve, sustained and coordinated oversight will remain essential to ensuring that long‑term transformation does not come at the expense of safety, accountability, or public trust.

It remains my privilege to work alongside the dedicated professionals of the Amtrak OIG, whose integrity, competence, and dedication are core qualities to accomplishing our mission. We appreciate the continued interest in and support for our work by Congress and trust that you will find this report informative.