Press Release  Former Buyer for the MBTA Pleads Guilty to Larceny, Bribery, Illegal Gratuity and Procurement Fraud Charges

BOSTON – A former buyer for the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) pleaded guilty in Suffolk Superior Court to larceny, bribery, illegal gratuity and procurement fraud charges connected to his job hiring and managing vendors for the MBTA. 

Timothy Dockery, age 57, of Plymouth, pleaded guilty to 13 charges including Bribery (1 count), Procurement Fraud (2 counts), Accepting Illegal Gratuities (6 counts), Larceny (3 counts), and Conspiracy (1 count). Dockery was sentenced to one year in a House of Correction, with two years of probation after completion of his sentence. Dockery was also ordered to pay restitution of $37,860. As a state employee, Dockery engaged in illegal schemes with multiple different vendors, including the creation of fake invoices and accepting illegal gifts.  

In 2014, the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) began investigating Dockery following a tip to its fraud hotline. The Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office (AGO) joined the investigation in 2016. Prior to law enforcement involvement, the MBTA was independently investigating this matter, and has since provided assistance and full cooperation with the joint investigation. A grand jury first indicted Dockery in 2017 and Dockery was immediately suspended by the MBTA. Dockery was indicted on additional charges a second time in 2017 and a third time in 2018. 

As a buyer for the non-inventory purchasing unit of the MBTA, Dockery was responsible for procuring and overseeing contracts related to non-inventory items, such as office supplies and smaller construction contracts.  

In one scheme, Dockery worked with a vendor to steal approximately $38,000 from the MBTA by submitting fake invoices. Dockery instructed the vendor to create fake invoices for funds leftover on purchase orders and facilitated payment of the fake invoices. The vendor and Dockery shared the money paid to the vendor by the MBTA. As part of the investigation, the AG’s Office entered into an agreement under which the vendor paid back his half of the stolen proceeds.   

In addition to the fake invoice scheme, Dockery also received cash payments from the vendor in exchange for Dockery’s assistance securing contracts with the MBTA. The vendor paid Dockery roughly 10 percent of his profit from at least 70 payments from the MBTA.  The vendor collected more than $1.8 million from the MBTA since 2011, and Dockery received at least $60,000 in kickbacks.  

Dockery also received illegal gratuities from two other vendors.  Public employees, such as Dockery, are prohibited from receiving gifts of $50 or more in a one-year period in connection with their official positions. One vendor provided Dockery with high-end tickets to sporting events and concerts worth approximately $23,000. Another vendor provided Dockery at no charge approximately $8,000 in lunches and goods, which Dockery used for his personal business.  

In one procurement fraud scheme, Dockery created a fake quote to ensure a vendor would be the lowest bidder for a construction supplies contract. Dockery then inflated the vendor’s quote by $4,175 so that their winning bid was just under the fake quote. For other construction projects, this vendor allegedly created and submitted fake quotes that purported to be from two competitor companies. The fake quotes were higher than the vendor’s winning quotes and created the illusion of a competitive procurement process.  

“I am relieved that this defendant is finally being held to account for his reprehensible actions,” Inspector General Jeffrey S. Shapiro said. “When so-called public servants act in their own self-interest, it erodes the public’s confidence in their government. It is for this reason, I am grateful to the OIG investigative team who, acting on a hotline tip, built the case against Mr. Dockery and to the Attorney General’s prosecution team for doggedly pursuing justice on behalf of the people.” 

The OIG conducted this investigation alongside the AGO’s White Collar and Public Integrity and Financial Investigations Divisions, as well as members of the Massachusetts State Police assigned to the AGO.  

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