Man charged with falsifying subway reports

An MTA inspector who lives on Long Island was charged Thursday with dodging work by falsifying signal-maintenance reports for New York City's subways.

Ilya Klyauzov, 57, of Oceanside, was indicted on three counts of tampering with public records and one count of official misconduct.

According to the charges filed by Manhattan District Attorney Cy Vance, Klyauzov claimed to have inspected 15 signal devices on the No. 7 line when he hadn't. Later, he claimed to have done 20 inspections of relays -- automated devices that regulate the distance between trains -- that he hadn't done.

He's charged with making the false claims in inspection logbook entries in December and January. Investigators said they also discovered signal equipment bar codes in a search of his locker.

The bar codes, located on equipment in the system, are supposed to be scanned when an inspection is conducted, ensuring that the worker has been there. But the MTA inspector general warned as long ago as 2006 that the bar-code system had been compromised.

As recently as last November, Inspector General Barry Kluger said that a new investigation was revealing widespread falsification of inspections, and the MTA said it was moving to clean up the problem. The Klyauzov case marked the first criminal charges, but officials said they probably would not be the last.

"The defendant falsified the MTA's records in an attempt to save himself from necessary work," Vance said. "Crimes like these can lead to delays in service, or far worse. My office will continue to work . . . to ensure the safety of New York City commuters, whom we believe deserve much better."

The MTA said a variety of steps to prevent abuse -- including locker inspections to check for illegal bar codes -- have been taken.

"While it is important to note that the result of this effort has reinforced that the signal system is safe, we will continue to implement new measures to eliminate this past culture from our signals division," a spokesman said.

Klyauzov has worked for the MTA since July 2002, and earned about $65,000 a year, the MTA said. He was released on his own recognizance after pleading not guilty in court Thursday morning.

He faces 2 1/3 to 7 years on each of the three counts of tampering with records, a felony, and up to a year on the charge of official misconduct, a misdemeanor.

Klyauzov's lawyer, Arthur Schwartz, was not available for comment.