Worker caught taking cash to let riders on subway, MTA inspector says 

A former NYC Transit employee was caught on video accepting cash payments in exchange for letting passengers onto the subway near Central Park in Manhattan, according to a report by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority inspector general.

Officials said the unnamed employee, who worked for NYC Transit since 2006, retired in March after he was seen on camera taking an undisclosed amount of cash payments at least four times at the 59th Street/5th Avenue subway station. The investigation was launched after someone reported the employee pocketed $3 and let the passenger in through a special entry turnstile, according to the report.

Officials said the employee filed for retirement the day after he was confronted in December with photographs about the cash payments, which officials said violated New York State Public Officers Law. The transit employee’s last day working for NYC Transit was Jan. 4, and his retirement went into effect March 2.

After he retired during the investigation, the employee was given a penalty of dismissal, which was submitted to the Office of Labor Relations. The report was also placed in the employee’s personnel file to prevent rehiring and to prevent him from rescinding his retirement.

"This employee violated the public's trust to pocket a few dollars — and it rightly cost him his job," MTA Inspector General Daniel Cort said in a statement Thursday. "It’s never okay for station agents to take cash payments from riders, and I am thankful to the customer who reported this misconduct to OIG."

The station agent worked at various stations in the city and was working overtime at the 59th Street station on June 26, 2024. Officials said a passenger tried to buy a MetroCard from a vending machine that did not accept cash. The customer asked the employee to help him buy a MetroCard when the worker took the $3 and let him through the turnstile, the report states.

The MTA made all station booths cashless starting in April 2020 and posted signage that employees could not perform cash transactions.

Investigators said video surveillance showed the employee taking cash three other times when customers failed to swipe their MetroCard or tap payments. The employee was also seen allowing three passengers holding cash to walk through the turnstile, according to the report.

The employee told investigators he took money after being confronted with the footage and said it was "a mistake," according to the report. He was also asked about seven other possible transactions when he said vending machines weren’t working.

The MTA said in the report it reminded employees not to take cash.

"The conduct described by the Inspector General’s report is a betrayal of New Yorkers' trust and of thousands of colleagues whose integrity is undermined," said Bill Amarosa Jr., senior vice president of subways for NYC Transit. "The agent involved is no longer employed by NYC Transit."

By John Asbury

john.asbury@newsday.comJohnAsbury

John Asbury is a breaking news and general assignment reporter. He has been with Newsday since 2014 and previously worked at The Press-Enterprise in Riverside, California.