Contractor that worked on Amtrak’s 30th Street Station Accused of Bribery

Philadelphia’s 30th Street Station

David C. Lester

PHILADELPHIA –– KWY radio reports that one of the contractor's working on the restoration of Amtrak's venerable 30th Street Station is facing federal bribery charges.

Court documents show that Khalid Dallo, an official with the construction company Mark 1 Restoration of Dolton, Ill., faces one count of conspiracy to commit federal program bribery. The charge surrounds a $58.5 million contract to complete various restoration work on the station, which was awarded in 2015.

The Amtrak official, Ajith Bhaskaran, was allegedly given a watch valued at more than $11,000, gift cards, limousine rentals, meals, entertainment along with trips to Ecuador and India. Bhaskaran died, reportedly of natural causes, while awaiting a different trial for allegedly defrauding the Social Security program of $250,000.

In exchange for these bribes, the Amtrak official signed off on five different change orders that increased the contract amount by more than $52 million.

The station work was completed in 2020. The contract amount was originally $60 million, but eventually rose to $109 million