Charges filed in Amtrak fraud scheme at WIU

Posted on July 22, 2019

By Howard Packowitz

MACOMB – A former Western Illinois University student faces federal wire fraud charges for allegedly stealing from Amtrak thousands of dollars the passenger train service should have received from students traveling between Macomb and Chicago.

A federal grand jury in Peoria indicted Ryan Minter, 23, of Calumet City on charges he used stolen credit card information to buy Amtrak tickets.

The charges allege Minter advertised on social media sites that he was selling tickets at a discount, and students went online to buy tickets from him.

The indictment indicated the crimes happened over a two-year period ending in November of 2018.

The government wants Minter to return $15,492.

He faces up to 20 years in prison if found guilty on any of the five wire fraud charges. His trial is set for September 23.

Minter’s arrest and indictment follow an investigation by Amtrak’s Office of Inspector General, Amtrak Police, and WIU Police.

Howard Packowitz can be reached at [email protected]

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