Posted on 06/15/2025 6:42:43 AM PDT by TheDon
SAN MATEO COUNTY, Calif. (KGO) -- Two former Caltrain employees were sentenced to a collective six months in jail this week.
Both men were charged back in 2024 with the felony theft of public funds after they embezzled money to build secret apartments -- one at the Caltrain station in Burlingame and the other at the nearby Millbrae station.
"This is why I say to people, never say you've seen it all, because something new like this will come up," said San Mateo County District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe.
Wagstaffe tells ABC7 News the men lived inside the apartments for several years.
In total, they spent over $40,000 building them and even had things like office spaces and living rooms inside.
(Excerpt) Read more at abc7news.com ...
Coulter Rule?
From different article:
“The employees, Seth Andrew Worden and Joseph Vincent Navarro, were charged in March 2024 with felony theft of public funds to build the secret apartments.”
https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/caltrain-secret-homes-embezzlement-20372638.php
‘According to San Mateo County District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe’s office, 66-year-old Joseph Vincent Navarro and 61-year-old Seth Andrew Worden are accused of felony misappropriation of public funds.’
“”””Two former Caltrain employees were sentenced to a collective six months in jail this week.””””
Some crimes are great it seems, steal 20 million dollars over decades and live like a respected rich person for decades and you get a milder sentence than some people doing much simpler low class crimes.
This is crime on a huge scale, the 40 thousand, the lost space, the years of living there free and free utilities, all premeditated and executed, yet the penalty is almost nothing.
Caltrain was told to leave the spaces as-is while the cases were going on and does not yet have any immediate plans for the converted residences, agency spokesperson Dan Lieberman told SFGATE. They are not up to code and are in historic buildings that require careful consideration of changes, he added.
I’d be looking at the possibility that they were using these apartments for criminal activity. Smuggling either drugs or individuals needing to stay off the grid.
It also strikes me that if these 2 had combined to rob a bank of 40,000 dollars they’d be doing felony time. I guess white collar crime largely gets a pass in California as well.
The Teamsters Union had a rec center they built downstairs at the Ford glass plant in Nashville back in the 70s.
It never says how they were found out. I doubt if the men told on themselves. Maybe a girlfriend who didn’t realize she had been replaced did all the blabbing to get even by ruining it for everybody.
Burlingame, and other towns mentioned in that San Matteo area are known to be high priced, well maintained bedroom communities. Maybe that’s why the funds had not been properly reviewed or audited for so long. In those cities, $3K of public funds unaccounted for is not always such a big deal.
Gee, six months in jail for this is four months longer than folks imprisoned for murder in CaliFUBAR these days isn’t it?
What’s missing is what their jobs were at Caltrain! Worden is listed as a station manager but what was Navarro’s position?
“”Worden, a Caltrain station manager employed by the agency’s rail service provider, was directed by Navarro to hire contractors””
With the price of real estate in ca I can see why. Why didn’t they use their private funds to just add put a bed in the unused offices and stealth camp?
How big are the apartments?
Kitchen, shower 🚿, bathroom?
Asking for a friend...
California will probably turn the illegal apartments into low income housing for illegals.
Sounds like they invested in the improvement of the train station!
So long as the apartment has a working stove, garbage disposal and toilets, I will survive!
Instead of jailing them, they should have put them in charge of California housing. They seem quite experienced at finding novel solutions.
Absolutely. It’s all I need too!
I’ve got a microwave!
But I still cook too.
Internet would help, That way I can keep on pinging the mods to delete all of my typos.
Oh, and harass Nully.
A bit tangent to this story, but years and years ago, I was working for Tokyo Disney and was walking in one of the tunnels under one of the big rides as I did every day, and found a door unlocked and open that had always been locked.
Being the nosy gaijin that I was, I walked in and saw it was a world class bar. Brass, leather and glass. Top notch booze, too. Balentine 30 year Scotch and the like. The upholstery was astounding and I saw doors that I was sure led to private chambers. As I was walking to investigate further, in came an orderly who started shouting. ‘You no be here!’ and the like. I did my best ‘stupid gaijin’ shuffle and hoofed it out. Wasn’t reported as he probably would have gotten in trouble for leaving the door open.
My guess is the above ride’s sponsors offered the bar as an amenity to execs who brought their kids to the park for the day. Maybe for a little escape time for him and his secretary or his Nigo-san (2nd wife).
A bit different than the news story, as this was built with private funds, not public money. However, a good story is a good story.
Saying “Coulters Rule” is as bad as asking if it’s “them again Boo Boo.” Get that racists shit off here.
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