MEMPHIS, Tenn. — China, India, France, Greece and more — the former Memphis Area Transit Authority CEO took a number of international trips on the taxpayer’s dime, according to new records WREG Investigators obtained.
Within the hundreds of pages of expense reports, former CEO of MATA Gary Rosenfeld documented his international excursions, and the trips were paid by you, the taxpayer.
In 2019, Rosenfeld filled out a report stating he flew to China for an “electric bus study.” He had MATA reimburse him for airfare, $1,900 for his hotel and a couple thousand more for daily expenses.
Months later, he reported another trip to Greece and Turkey. He didn’t give a reason for his travel in the expense report. He just stated hotels and other related costs listed totaled around $2,400.
Another report Rosenfeld filled out claimed he spent several thousand when he went to India in 2019 to visit a digital technology company.
He went to India again in 2022, and according to his flight he attached, he sat in first class for part of that trip.
He also took his CFO, according to MATA’s company credit card statements. The technology firm in India later announced a partnership with MATA to launch a smart card system.
Rosenfeld agreed to talk to us on the phone, but we could only quote him.
He said the trip to India was to inspect ticket vending machines they later purchased. He said they caught issues before the machines were shipped.
“The ticket vending machines had the wrong powder coating on them,” Rosenfeld stated. “That would have been devastating had those machines gotten all the way here to the U.S., because it wouldn’t have held up to the weather our community experiences.”
Rosenfeld says he stands by his international travel. The trips were to inspect equipment or technology “manufactured offshore.” He said, “It’s much easier to go there than it is to ship equipment back and forth.”
He said his trip in 2021 to multiple cities in France and Belgium was to check out computer-aided dispatch and automatic vehicle equipment.
MATA’s policy stated if an executive traveled internationally, they would get $350 per day for any expenses incurred.
Meaning, on top of flights, taxis and hotels, Rosenfeld reported another $4,900 for his per diem for that trip.
Rosenfeld further explained to WREG Investigators while the dispatch system was a French-based company, they went to the other cities “and interviewed those customers to get feedback on how to transition to the new system.”
“We could take advantage of mistakes that had been made in the past and make sure that the transition would be smooth here in Memphis,” he stated. “It’s all part of the due-diligence of when you’re buying this type of stuff to make sure that it performs as it gets presented and that it’s reliable.”
In 2022, Rosenfeld’s expense reports listed trips to Finland and Germany. While the reason wasn’t listed, the price was. He reported it cost thousands of dollars.
It seems Rosenfeld booked a trip to Paris, Qatar, Hong Kong and Australia. The plane ticket totaled more than $11,000 and included some first-class seats. It was set for February 2024.
However, Rosenfeld suddenly retired weeks before that trip, which likely explains why he wrote on the expense report the trip was “cancelled” and noted it was “nonrefundable.” He got MATA to cut him a check.
Meanwhile, bus rider David Smith said his disappointment in the system has grown as his wait for the bus now averages an hour.
“I have lost a job over it,” he told us. “I couldn’t make it on time because of the bus.”
Rider Willie Lipsey said more should have gone towards fixing the buses. The day we met him, he was worried he wouldn’t make it to court on time.
“Last week, I was waiting on the 53, and it broke down. I waited three hours for the 53,” he said.
“I stand by what I have done,” Rosenfeld said. “What I have done is no different than many other transit agencies and public agencies.”
He said there are “true and real reasons” why they did what they did.
“Even if the travel had not happened, it would not impact operating funds,” he said. “You’ve been watching this for years, that MATA has been underfunded. This deficit should not be a surprise to this city, to the public and media.”
“The [consumer price index] has gone up in some cases as much as 45%. It’s real costs that the organization has experienced. Without an increase in revenue, the only thing that’s left that could happen is the services get cut,” he said. “To suggest these capital funds that were extended for these different systems could have offset operating funds? No, that would have been a violation. It couldn’t have happened. It wouldn’t have passed an audit.”
WREG Investigators requested the MATA executive’s expense reports eight months ago after MATA announced it was facing a multi-million shortfall.
MATA’s board appointed new leadership in January. With help from the Reporters Committee for the Freedom of the Press, MATA finally turned over its records.
Among the documents was MATA’s travel policy. It states the CEO or their designee are ultimately in charge of signing off on the travel and business expenses, and employees are expected to limit expenses to reasonable amounts.
According to the records MATA provided, Rosenfeld’s expense reports totaled more than $163,000. About a fourth of that went to international travel.
He also filed reports for gas, domestic travel and local dinners. In October 2022, one report stated nearly $2,900 was spent on a celebration dinner at the Capital Grille. The itemized receipt attached shows what was ordered.
Also included in the latest batch of MATA records obtained through the Tennessee Records Act, MATA interim CEO Bacarra Mauldin’s expense reports.
On top of what we found in her company credit card statements, her expense reports totaled more than $20,000 from 2021 through 2024.
Her reports include several meals, domestic travel and various conferences including two conventions for her sorority.
