United States Attorney David Metcalf revealed charges against Richard Thompson, 57, Shaun Hanrahan, 66, and Darren Hannam, 57, all residents of Virginia, for alleged involvement in a bribery scheme targeting Amtrak. Thompson, who served as Amtrak's Director of Network Planning and Engineering, is accused of accepting bribes in exchange for directing Amtrak contracts to companies owned by Hanrahan, Hannam, and others.
The indictment claims that from 2015 to 2021, Thompson favored certain vendors, including Awarity, Arch Technology, and 20/20 Teknology, by providing proprietary Amtrak bid information, thereby giving these companies an advantage. Allegedly, he collaborated on bid documents and manipulated lists, ensuring lucrative contracts for these vendors while avoiding competitive bidding processes. Communications were reportedly conducted through Thompson's personal email to evade detection.
The Amtrak projects involved were substantial, ranging from nationwide WiFi network installations to major gate improvements across railroad tracks. Allegedly, in return for directing these projects, Thompson received cash, electronics, and other benefits from the vendors.
All three defendants face multiple charges of honest services wire fraud, with Hannam additionally facing a charge of record falsification. Should they be convicted, each could face up to 20 years imprisonment per count. Investigations were carried out by the FBI and Amtrak's Office of Inspector General, with Assistant U.S. Attorneys Louis D. Lappen and Jason Grenell leading the prosecution. The indictment remains an accusation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
