WASHINGTON — Two former Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority train operators pleaded guilty in federal court to conspiring in a health care fraud scheme that netted nearly $60,000 in bogus insurance payments, with one of the defendants also admitting to orchestrating a wider operation that generated more than $360,000 in fraudulent claims.
Michelle Shropshire, 55, of Waldorf, Maryland, and Harlisha Jones, 50, of Clinton, Maryland, and Washington, D.C., entered their pleas Friday, Jan. 23, 2026, in U.S. District Court. The case centers on false health care and short-term disability claims submitted to American Family Life Assurance Company of Columbus, commonly known as AFLAC.
According to court filings and statements made during the plea hearings, the scheme ran from about June 2021 through January 2024, while both women were employed as WMATA train operators. Prosecutors said the pair conspired to submit insurance claims for injuries, medical treatments and disability periods that never occurred.
As part of the fraud, Shropshire and Jones admitted to using the identities of real physicians to fabricate medical excuse notes and physicians’ statements. Those documents included forged signatures and were submitted to AFLAC to support the false claims. After AFLAC issued payments on the claims, Jones funneled a portion of the proceeds back to Shropshire as kickbacks.
Authorities said AFLAC paid Jones roughly $58,750 as a result of the fraudulent submissions, with about 20% of that amount returned to Shropshire. In court, Shropshire further acknowledged that the conduct extended well beyond Jones.
Prosecutors said Shropshire helped numerous other WMATA employees file similar fraudulent health care and disability claims using the same methods. That broader scheme resulted in at least $362,035 in fraudulent insurance benefits paid out by AFLAC to Shropshire, Jones and other participants.
Five additional former WMATA employees have already admitted their roles in the conspiracy, including paying kickbacks to Shropshire from claim proceeds, and have pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit health care fraud. All are awaiting sentencing.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI’s Washington Field Office and the WMATA Office of Inspector General. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brian P. Kelly and Diane Lucas, with the announcement joined by FBI Assistant Director in Charge Darren B. Cox and WMATA Inspector General Michelle Zamarin.
Shropshire is scheduled to be sentenced June 11, 2026. Jones is set for sentencing on June 15, 2026. U.S. District Judge Rudolph Contreras will determine the sentences after considering federal sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
Got a tip or photo? Text us at 888-871-NEWS (6397) or email news@thebaynet.com.
Join The BayNet Membership for exclusive perks and zero ads.
Don’t miss a story—sign up for our newsletter!
