California High-Speed Rail Consultants Under Fire for $600,000 in Unallowable Travel Expenses
An investigation revealed that California High-Speed Rail consultants spent nearly $600,000 in taxpayer funds on unallowable travel expenses over a two-year period. This included first-class flights and trips to locations such as bars, a nightclub, escape rooms, and gyms, which…
San Diego, CA, September 21, 2026 — An investigation into the spending practices of consultants working on the California High-Speed Rail project has uncovered nearly $600,000 in expenses deemed unallowable, funded by taxpayer money over a two-year span. The expenditures include instances of first-class air travel and visits to various entertainment and recreational venues.
According to the findings, the travel expenses incurred by consultants were found to be unrelated to official state business. Among the costs flagged were trips to locations such as bars, a nightclub, escape rooms, and gyms. These venues were identified as not being pertinent to the duties required for the high-speed rail project.
The total amount cited for these unallowable travel expenses over the observed two-year period reached approximately $600,000. Details regarding the specific consulting firms or individuals involved in these expenditures were not provided in the summary. Similarly, the summary did not specify the exact start and end dates for the two-year period during which these expenses occurred, nor did it outline any immediate consequences or actions taken following the revelation of the investigation’s findings.
The California High-Speed Rail program is a large-scale infrastructure project aimed at connecting major cities across the state with a high-speed train system. The project has faced scrutiny regarding its budget, timelines, and management. This latest revelation adds another layer of concern regarding the oversight of public funds allocated to the project and its associated consultants.
Further details on the scope of the investigation, the specific criteria used to deem expenses unallowable, and any corrective measures being considered were not made public in the provided information. The contractor’s name was not provided.
Story summarized from the original created by Yue Stella Yu and Juliet Williams • CalMatters on timesofsandiego.com, see more information here.
Media gallery
