Donald Harper Sr., a 47-year-old Amtrak supervisor from Somerset, New Jersey, admitted today to stealing more than $20,000 from the federal rail service by falsifying time records over a 13-month period. Harper billed Amtrak for 27.75 regular hours and 192.25 overtime hours he never worked, all while overseeing critical safety upgrades on the Northeast Corridor.
The fraud occurred between October 2014 and October 2015, while Harper supervised a 19-person crew installing Positive Train Control systems—a federally mandated technology designed to prevent catastrophic derailments and collisions. Instead of managing the high-stakes project, Harper was padding his paycheck, submitting timesheets for hours logged while he was nowhere near Amtrak work sites.
Harper, employed by Amtrak since February 1990, pleaded guilty in Newark federal court to one count of converting federal government funds to his own use. The charge, a felony under federal law, carries a maximum penalty of one year in prison and a fine of $250,000, or twice the financial loss—whichever is greater. He is scheduled to be sentenced on April 20, 2017.
As part of his plea agreement, Harper must repay Amtrak $20,346 in full restitution. The fraud was uncovered during an investigation led by Amtrak’s Office of Inspector General, Philadelphia field office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Robert J. Koons. Investigators combed through time logs, GPS data, and crew testimony to dismantle Harper’s scheme.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Mala Ahuja Harker of the Special Prosecutions Division. U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman emphasized that stealing from Amtrak is stealing from the public: “Taxpayer-funded infrastructure projects demand accountability. Fraud like this erodes trust and risks safety.”
Harper was represented by Linda Foster, Esq., Assistant Federal Public Defender. While no additional charges are pending, the investigation remains open to determine whether others were involved in falsifying work records within the New York Division’s Signals unit.
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Key Facts
- State: New Jersey
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: Official Source ↗
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