Prosecutors: MBTA workers faked Red Line inspections

Federal prosecutors say five MBTA employees faked inspections of Red Line tracks, with surveillance video showing them instead working on personal vehicles in a MBTA garage, chatting with coworkers and talking on their phones.

The five were arrested Thursday after they were indicted on charges of aiding and abetting both the falsification of records and false statements. At least five false inspection reports were filed over a six week period last fall, prosecutors say.

Those indicted are:

Prosecutors say from Sept. 3 to Oct. 15 last year, Gamble, Vatel, Mendes and Vicente filed reports for inspections that never happened. In one case, the indictment alleges, Vicente filed a report indicating he inspected the tracks between Central and Andrew stations and found no issues. But surveillance video allegedly shows Vicente in the MBTA garage in Dorchester, talking on his phone and fixing the door of a personal vehicle.

The indictment says that Pfaffinger, who worked as a Red Line supervisor, knew his employees worked on private vehicles during work hours, and had them service his own Jeep.

Only Pfaffinger is still employed by the T. He was disciplined earlier this year and put on leave, the T said.

Vicente, Mendes, Vatel and Pfaffinger all made at least $140,000 last year; Gamble took home $241,000.

In a statement, the MBTA said it took "immediate action" once the allegations came to light.

"Their actions do not reflect the values of the MBTA, and they will not impact the improvements we continue to make across the system," the statement said. "We are taking these allegations very seriously, as we have an obligation to the public and to our workforce to ensure that every employee meets the highest standards of conduct."