Queens DA: Man Charged in Fake LIRR Ticket Scheme

A Rockville Centre man was charged in an elaborate scam to sell fake Long Island Rail Road tickets to unsuspecting commuters, according to the Queens District Attorney.

Michael Wright, 27, was charged Friday with third-degree grand larceny, second-degree criminal possession of a forged instrument, identity theft in the first degree and second-degree trademark counterfeiting, said the DA.

LIRR conductors flagged Metropolitan Transit Authority Police after noticing passengers presenting counterfeit tickets, said MTA Police Chief Michael Coan.

“Their professionalism was key to identifying this pattern of fraudulent tickets and foiling the defendant’s operation,” said Coan, commending conductors and the DA’s office in pursuing the case.

Between March and June, MTA Police and the district attorney’s office confiscated four weekly and 29 monthly LIRR tickets from passengers. Altogether, the fake tickets were valued at more than $3,000.

After identifying Wright as a suspect, investigators conducted a court-authorized search of his home and found computer equipment, a laminating machine, adhesive film, and flash drives containing images of tickets, said the DA.

“For months, [Wright] allegedly created look-alike tickets, printed them from his home computer and then sold them to LIRR train riders,” said Queens DA Richard Brown. “The defendant’s alleged actions stole money from the MTA - cheating the system, commuters and the public.”

Wright is due back in court Aug. 26.