Mark Snedden, 69, a resident of Munster, Indiana, and president of a masonry restoration company, has been charged with conspiracy to commit federal program bribery and making a false claim. The charges relate to a contract worth $58,473,000 awarded by Amtrak for facade repair at the 30th Street Station in Philadelphia. Approximately 90% of the funding came from federal sources.
Snedden’s company was responsible for overseeing and supervising the project, with three Vice Presidents, Donald Seefeldt, Lee Maniatis, and Khaled Dallo, each now charged in separate instances, helping manage the work. The charges allege a conspiracy between May 2016 and November 2019, involving illegal actions aimed at influencing Amtrak Employee #1, the project manager.
The legal documents state that Snedden and his vice presidents provided Amtrak Employee #1 with gifts worth about $323,686. These gifts allegedly included vacations, cash, jewelry, and other items to sway the employee's decisions related to the project. The employee, in return, allegedly provided confidential agency information and approved more costly project changes, which led to over $52 million in additional, overpriced work being approved.
The inflated claims reportedly resulted in Amtrak being overcharged by over $2 million. If found guilty, Snedden could face up to ten years in prison, a $500,000 fine, and other penalties. The investigation was conducted by the FBI and the Inspector General Offices of Amtrak and the Department of Transportation, with Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Grenell overseeing prosecution.
The legal process presumes Snedden's innocence until proven otherwise.
