MTA Inspector General Daniel G. Cort announced today the results of separate investigations that found a Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) Gang Foreman and a former LIRR Machinist committed timekeeping fraud at Hillside Maintenance Complex (HMC) in Queens, New York. The Machinist claimed to be at work when he was on a flight to Texas, and two supervisors failed to address his fraudulent timekeeping swipe. The Gang Foreman claimed overtime hours he didn’t work, was swiped out by a colleague, and had an unauthorized real estate side job.
The Gang Foreman has been terminated by LIRR, which also planned to recoup approximately $1,200 in unearned wages from his final paycheck. The Machinist retired before the Office of the MTA Inspector General’s (OIG) investigation concluded, and no action was able to be taken against him.
These matters are part of a broader OIG investigation into time abuse and fraudulent timekeeping records at LIRR facilities. OIG issued reports in November 2024 related to an LIRR employee’s unauthorized use of a duplicate swipe card and his subsequent lies under oath to OIG investigators.
“The behavior in these latest LIRR cases – flying out of state while on the clock, collecting unearned overtime pay, workers swiping each other out – shows a concerning lack of ethics and supervision,” said IG Daniel Cort. “Time abuse can impact safety, efficiency, and morale – and our office will relentlessly pursue the offenders.”
OIG’s investigation into the HMC Gang Foreman began in early 2024, and surveillance and a review of timekeeping and payroll records found that he falsely claimed more than 14 overtime hours either by leaving early or being absent from his worksite for extended periods. During one overtime shift he claimed to be working, the Gang Foreman got his car repaired and visited his mother’s home. He admitted to repeatedly having another foreman fraudulently swipe him out. OIG also discovered that the Gang Foreman was operating a real estate investment business without authorization.
In a separate investigation, OIG learned that a Machinist was found to be AWOL during a March 2024 attendance audit — and discovered that he departed HMC during his pre-tour overtime shift and got on a flight to Texas. Once he learned his absence was detected, the Machinist had a colleague swipe him out for the day. Two supervisors failed to address the improper swipe, and one even deleted phone records from the day in question.
OIG recommended that LIRR recover payments made for hours that the Gang Foreman did not work and take whatever action the agency deemed appropriate against him and the supervisors of the Machinist who flew to Texas while on the clock.
On February 10, 2025, the Gang Foreman was terminated. LIRR said it would withhold $1,212.72 from his final check and also withhold a sick leave cash-out payment.
The Machinist retired on July 1, 2024. LIRR said it has “re-instructed” his supervisors and noted that biometric scanning was reintroduced in September 2024 and is being “closely monitored.”