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Amtrak Employee Admits Role in $11 Million Health Care Fraud Conspiracy
Defendant collected kickbacks from healthcare providers who filed fraudulent claims against the Amtrak health plan.
A 44-year-old Amtrak employee from Elizabeth, New Jersey, has pleaded guilty to participating in a wide-ranging healthcare fraud conspiracy that cost the Amtrak healthcare plan more than $11 million, Acting U.S. Attorney Vikas Khanna announced. Anthony Saloka admitted the charge before U.S. District Judge Madeline Cox Arleo in Newark federal court, acknowledging that he and others allowed dishonest providers to file fraudulent insurance claims in exchange for cash kickbacks.
Intricate Kickback Scheme
According to court documents and Saloka’s admissions in court, the conspiracy operated between January 2019 and June 2022. Saloka and his co-conspirators, all employed by or connected to Amtrak, provided their personal and health insurance details to specific medical providers. The providers would then bill the Amtrak health plan for treatments that were never rendered or were medically unnecessary. In return, Saloka received thousands of dollars in kickbacks.
Authorities identified two providers—acupuncturist Punson Figueroa and podiatrist Michael DeNicola—as key figures in this criminal network. Both men previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit health care fraud for their roles. Figueroa was sentenced in September 2024 to 34 months in prison, and DeNicola awaits sentencing after pleading guilty on June 29, 2022.
Throughout the scheme’s duration, the Amtrak health plan, which covers employees and their families, paid out over $11 million in fraudulent claims connected to the implicated providers. Acting U.S. Attorney Khanna emphasized that this abuse of the health care system caused significant financial damage and betrayed the trust of both Amtrak and its employees.
Penalties
Saloka faces up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine—or twice the financial gain or loss, whichever is higher—for his single count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud. Judge Arleo scheduled the defendant’s sentencing for June 4, 2025, at which point the court will determine Saloka’s sentence and potential restitution obligations.
Acting U.S. Attorney Khanna credited the Amtrak Office of Inspector General, under Special Agent in Charge Michael J. Waters, and the Amtrak Police Department, led by Chief of Police Samuel Dotson, with the core investigative work. Assisting agents from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), supervised by Special Agent in Charge Frank A. Tarentino III in New York, were also instrumental.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jessica R. Ecker and Katherine M. Romano of the Health Care Fraud Unit in Newark. Saloka’s guilty plea marks another milestone in the ongoing effort to hold accountable those who exploit employer-sponsored insurance plans for personal gain.
As with all allegations, Saloka’s co-conspirators remain presumed innocent until any further admissions of guilt or a verdict is reached in their respective proceedings. The investigation stands as a reminder of the severe penalties facing anyone who engages in healthcare fraud.
