A Commuter Rail train at Boston's North Station. Photo: WBZ NewsRadio Staff
BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — A former Keolis chief engineer and a New Hampshire man are accused of running a fraud scheme that bilked the millions from the MBTA Commuter Rail. Keolis is the company subcontracted by the MBTA to run the Commuter Rail.
The Massachusetts U.S. Attorney's Office said Assistant Chief Engineer John Pigsley stole more than $8 million — money that was intended to fix and repair the Commuter Rail.
Officials say Pigsley ran a $4 million invoicing scheme with the head of a local electric company, John Rafferty. Among other things, that scheme included charging Keolis for a $54,000 camper van. Pigsley is also accused of buying more than $4.5 million worth of copper wire with Commuter Rail money, then selling that wire to line his own pocket.
"These men are accused of crossing the line from fixing our broken rail system to defrauding it," said Joseph R. Bonavolonta, special agent in charge of the FBI's Boston Branch.
Pigsley served in his position from when Keolis took over the Commuter Rail in 2014 to 2021. A Keolis spokesperson told WBZ NewsRadio that the company had reimbursed the MBTA for all of its losses, and discovered the alleged theft in late 2021. The company says it later suspended, then fired Pigsley.
Pigsley was indicted on five counts of wire fraud, one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, tax evasion, and other tax charges. Rafferty has agreed to plead guilty on a wire fraud conspiracy charge.
The man is due in federal court in Boston on Wednesday at 1:45 p.m. Rafferty's court date is still up in the air.
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