Michelle Shropshire and Harlisha Jones, both former train operators for the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA), pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to charges related to a health care fraud scheme. The two admitted to conspiring to obtain fraudulent health care and disability payments totaling nearly $60,000 through false insurance claims.
The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. According to court documents, Shropshire also acknowledged leading a broader scheme involving additional WMATA employees that resulted in approximately $360,000 in fraudulent payments.
Shropshire and Jones entered their guilty pleas before U.S. District Judge Rudolph Contreras, admitting to conspiracy to commit mail fraud, wire fraud, and health care fraud. Sentencing is scheduled for June 11, 2026 for Shropshire and June 15, 2026 for Jones. Judge Contreras will determine their sentences after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
From June 2021 through January 2024, while employed by WMATA, Shropshire and Jones used Jones’s insurance policies with American Family Life Assurance Company of Columbus (AFLAC) to submit fraudulent claims for injuries and treatments that did not occur. They used real doctors’ information to create fake medical notes and forged signatures as part of the scheme.
After AFLAC paid each claim to Jones—totaling about $58,750—Jones paid approximately 20% back to Shropshire as a kickback.
Shropshire further admitted she assisted other WMATA employees in submitting similar fraudulent claims, resulting in at least $362,035 being paid out by AFLAC across all involved parties. Five other former WMATA employees have also pleaded guilty in connection with the scheme and are awaiting sentencing.
Assistant Director in Charge Darren B. Cox of the FBI Washington Field Office and Inspector General Michelle Zamarin of the WMATA Office of Inspector General joined in announcing the case developments.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI Washington Field Office and the WMATA Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brian P. Kelly and Diane Lucas are prosecuting the cases.
