BOSTON – John P. Pigsley, the former Assistant Chief Engineer of Facilities for Keolis Commuter Services, received a sentence of 70 months in prison after pleading guilty to wire fraud and tax evasion charges. The sentence, rendered by U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani, also includes three years of supervised release, over $8.5 million in restitution to Keolis, and $2.6 million to the IRS.
The prison term follows Pigsley's admissions to five counts of wire fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, six counts of tax evasion, filing a false tax return, and structuring financial transactions to evade reporting requirements. Charged alongside him in April 2023 was his partner, John Rafferty.
Between 2014 and November 2021, Keolis, responsible for the MBTA commuter rail, employed Pigsley, who leveraged his role to run fraudulent activities alongside his personal venture, Pigman Group. Rafferty, managing LJ Electric, an electrical supply vendor serving Keolis, helped facilitate over $4 million in fraudulent invoicing. Rafferty provided vehicles, construction items, and personal luxuries to Pigsley, who directed billing to Keolis using falsified LJ Electric invoices.
Pigsley also involved himself in copper theft, personally acquiring wire he ordered for Keolis, later selling it for scrap, garnering over $4.5 million. Additionally, he accrued approximately $1.9 million in his bank accounts through structured deposits to avoid detection, bypassing required tax withholdings and falsely reporting his income to the IRS.
Rafferty, having pleaded guilty to conspiracy charges, awaits sentencing on May 15, 2025.
Authorities including U.S. Attorney Leah B. Foley and leaders from the FBI, IRS, and the U.S. Department of Transportation announced the case resolutions. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kristina E. Barclay and Raquelle Kaye are handling the prosecution.
