MBTA employees charged with falsifying inspection reports for fraudulent overtime pay

Six former MBTA employees and one current staffer are facing charges after allegedly falsifying inspection reports.

United States Attorney Leah Foley’s office says this was done to collect fraudulent overtime payments.

From January 1, 2024 to Oct. 16, 2024, instead of completing inspections, the Department of Justice says that Brian Pfaffinger, Ronald Gamble, Magda Trinh, Jensen Vatel and Nathalie Mendes either falsified track inspection reports or helped submit falsified inspection reports,.

Gamble and Trinh allegedly instructed Vatel, Mendes and other Red Line track inspectors to falsely extend the duration of their track inspections on the reports to avoid scrutiny from MBTA higher-ups.

Some of the inspectors, including Vatel and Mendes, faked train numbers on their inspection reports by writing down train numbers they found online rather than completing train rides as required for inspections.

Gamble, Vatel, Danny Barbosa and Matthew Leonard are also accused of working on personal vehicles during the time they had marked as performing some train inspections.

Pfaffinger, the team’s supervisor, allegedly knew the workers worked on private vehicles during work hours and even had them perform work on his own vehicle.

According to Foley’s office, in July 2024, Pfaffinger told his workers that multiple tracks had serious defects but 10 days later, he allegedly had his subordinates spend their workday performing work on his own personal car.

Gamble is accused of submitting overtime sheets that falsely claim that he, Trinh, Mendes, Vatel, Barbosa and Leonard worked overtime shifts that they did not from January 1 to October 16.

Foley’s office says , Gamble, Trinh, Mendes, Vatel, Barbosa and Leonard would not show up at all for the shift; would show up late their shifts or would sometimes disappear for hours during the time they were marked to be on the clock.

“Gamble allegedly submitted overtime sheets for Leonard, Barbosa and others, even knowing that they did not complete their overtime shifts, to compensate them for working on private vehicles during MBTA hours,” Foley’s office said. “On at least one occasion, Trinh allegedly aided and abetted the submission of a falsified time sheet, alleging that Vatel worked an overtime shift that he did not. Gambled allegedly copied Pfaffinger on these overtime submissions to payroll and, as the supervisor, Pfaffinger allegedly approved all time sheets for his subordinates.”

Pfaffinger, Gamble, Vatel and Mendes were arrested 2025. Trinh, Barbosa and Leonard were arrested this Friday morning and appeared in federal court in Boston, according to Foley’s office.

The full list of accused employees and the charges against them is as follows:

1. Brian Pfaffinger, 48, of Marshfield, was indicted for conspiracy to falsify records; conspiracy to commit wire fraud; falsification of records, aiding and abetting; and false statements, aiding and abetting;  

2. Ronald Gamble, 63, of Dorchester, was indicted for conspiracy to falsify records; conspiracy to commit wire fraud; wire fraud, aiding and abetting; falsification of records, aiding and abetting; and false statements, aiding and abetting;

3. Magda Trinh, 45, of Avon, was indicted for conspiracy to falsify records; conspiracy to commit wire fraud; wire fraud, aiding and abetting;

4. Jensen Vatel, 43, of Brockton, was indicted for conspiracy to falsify records; conspiracy to commit wire fraud; wire fraud, aiding and abetting; falsification of records, aiding and abetting; and false statements, aiding and abetting;

5. Nathalie Mendes, 54, of New Bedford, was indicted for conspiracy to falsify records; conspiracy to commit wire fraud; wire fraud, aiding and abetting; falsification of records, aiding and abetting; false statements, aiding and abetting; and wire fraud;

6. Danny Barbosa, 37, of Dorchester, was indicted for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud, aiding and abetting; and

7. Matthew Leonard, 37, of Easton, was indicted for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud, aiding and abetting.

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