LIRR Overtime Fraud Investigation Reveals Serious Irregularities
Employees of the Long Island Railroad (LIRR) involved in a long-running fake ID fraud scheme have reportedly received overtime payments significantly exceeding those of their honest counterparts. In fact, one foreman earned more than the annual salary of the railroad company’s president.
A report highlighted that 30 of these employees were earning between 1.3 and 2.7 times the average overtime pay of their fellow workers in 2024, revealing some pretty startling discrepancies.
Among those implicated, gang foreman Craig Murray stood out, having allegedly pulled in $220,073 in overtime last year alone.
It’s curious, but I guess not entirely surprising, that Murray’s base salary is listed at $124,361, yet he’s set to earn $345,779 in 2024—more than the chairman of the LIRR.
The scam involved at least 36 LIRR employees who reportedly used counterfeit work ID badges to travel to and from work—whether they were actually on duty or not. This gave many the ability to track time and handle financial obligations, often when they weren’t even working.
Some of the employees were allegedly operating machines that produced fake IDs and had even developed systems to circulate them among colleagues.
It’s disconcerting to think that some were supposedly swiping in to create the illusion of doing their jobs. The scheme, which ran from 2021 to August 2024, came under investigation in 2022 after multiple complaints were made to authorities.
Murray, interestingly, accounted for a substantial portion of LIRR’s top earners in terms of overtime for 2023, raising eyebrows among many.
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s Office of Inspector General recently published findings pointing to a “widespread culture of fraud and time misuse” at several LIRR facilities, including Richmond Hill, Ronkonkoma, and the Manhattan West Side.
Of the 36 people involved in this fraudulent activity, at least 24 admitted their participation.
Murray, when previously questioned, claimed ignorance about the scheme, stating he had never been involved—though he did mention having heard “rumors” of employees pulling such stunts.
LIRR President Robert Free has indicated that those found guilty of participating will face “severe penalties.” Already, some have been ordered to return substantial sums of money, while others are facing months of unpaid suspension.
As of now, no criminal charges have been filed, but the case is being sent to three district attorney’s offices for further review. It’s worth noting that the LIRR receives significant funding from New York State taxpayers through the MTA.
