Railway Age, 5/18/23
OIG Identifies Fraud Risks as Amtrak Begins Large Acquisitions, Infrastructure Programs
Written by David C. Lester, Engineering Editor and Editor-in-Chief, Railway Track & Structures
Amtrak’s Office of Inspector General has released a report outlining fraud risks “America’s Railroad” could face as it leverages significant federal investments for major acquisitions and capital projects.
According to the report (download below), historic levels of federal funding from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) will, in part, advance the company’s long-term, large-scale infrastructure goals and significantly expand its traditional passenger rail operations mission to now include a major capital delivery mission. The sheer size and nature of this expansion will, however, increase the company’s fraud risk, the report said.
The report identified four high-risk fraud areas the company faces: contracts and procurements, health care, employee wrongdoing, and cybercrime. . . .