NEW ORLEANS, LA – In a shocking turn of events, Kenya Butler-Small, a former Amtrak employee, has pleaded guilty to two counts of wire fraud.
According to the U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans, Butler-Small’s scheme involved recruiting over 40 victims to join a purported trip from New Orleans to New York City in June 2019. The victims were promised roundtrip Amtrak train travel and activities, including shows and museum visits. However, Butler-Small had not booked the travel or activities, and instead, lied to the victims, claiming that Amtrak had canceled the trip due to an incident involving a passenger who assaulted an Amtrak employee and made a bomb threat.
Butler-Small’s scheme netted her between $23,000 to $26,000 from the victims. The other count of wire fraud involved her submitting fraudulent sick benefit claims to the Railroad Retirement Board, a federal agency that provides benefits to Amtrak employees. Butler-Small claimed she was too sick to work when, in reality, she was working another job, resulting in the government paying her approximately $4,679 in sick benefits.
Butler-Small is scheduled to be sentenced on June 15, 2022, by U.S. District Judge Sarah S. Vance. The maximum penalties for each count include up to 20 years imprisonment, up to three years of supervised release, a fine of up to $250,000, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
This case was investigated by the Amtrak Office of Inspector General and the Railroad Retirement Board Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chandra Menon is in charge of the prosecution.
Butler-Small’s guilty plea marks a significant blow to her reputation and livelihood. As she awaits her sentencing, the victims of her scheme are left to pick up the pieces and recover from the financial losses they suffered at her hands.
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Key Facts
- State: Louisiana
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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