LIRR worker axed, others on the block after bombshell MTA probe over phony ID cards

A 20-year veteran Long Island Rail Road worker was fired and at least five others could be cut loose following a bombshell MTA investigation into widespread employee fraud at the railroad.

A scathing 65-page report by MTA Inspector General Daniel Cort found that 36 railroad employees used cloned ID cards to claim they were on the job while moonlighting or just blowing off work — with one alleged cheater, identified by Newsday as road car inspector Richard Bovell, losing his job.

Eight railroad employees cited in the report quit the LIRR before the findings were released, while 28 others were or will be disciplined, including suspensions, demotions and other actions, the report said.

Bovell, identified only as “Employee 2” in the report, has been the only one fired so far.

“This employee repeatedly breached the public trust by collecting pay for time he didn’t work and helping colleagues do the same,” Cort said in a post on X this week. “His firing is further evidence that this type of misconduct will not be tolerated.”

At issue are “cloned,” or copied employee ID cards — including blank cars purchased on Amazon — that allowed coworkers to check pals in and out of the job while they were elsewhere, according to the report.

The IG said the cars were sold to railroad employees for as much as $40.

The scam exploited a railroad policy that allowed workers and swiping in and out of work with their ID cards after ceasing fingerprint scans and other hands-on methods during the COVID-19 pandemic.

That allowed some workers to exploit the system, particularly at the Ronkonkoma, Richmond Hill and West Side Yard facilities, the report said.

Several of the workers admitted they swiped for work buddies when they were not on the job.

Bovell was hired in November 2005, and worked the 4:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. shift at the Ronkonkoma facility until early last year, according to the report.

Investigators said Bovell admitted to buying a cloned card and to swiping an AWOL coworker’s card at the end of their shift a shocking three times a week for about a year, while doing the same favor for another worker once or twice a month.

Meanwhile, Bovell was accused of having other colleagues do him the same favor.

“Other employees identified Employee 2 as someone who was missing during working hours, including extended off property meal breaks during his shift, and was regularly swiped out by others,” the report said. “Employee 4 also stated that Employee 2 went home for meals about three days a week, spending approximately 1.5 to 2 hours off LIRR property per day.”

Bovell did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Post.

Reached by Newsday, he complained to the outlet that he was not given the same leniency others were, and said he was unable to attend a disciplinary hearing because he had taken a new job.

He denied he used a cloned card to cheat the LIRR, but admitted he owned one and said they were widely used by others on the job on occasion.

LIRR President Rob Free said corruption won’t be tolerated at LIRR.

“Employees who steal from taxpayers forfeit their right to public jobs,” Free said in a statement.