California High-Speed Rail's KPMG Conflict Investigation Remains Open as CEO Returns From Leave

California High-Speed Rail Authority CEO Ian Choudri returned from leave in March with the KPMG conflict-of-interest investigation still open, as the agency faces a $4 billion federal funding termination and statutory business plan deadlines.

California High-Speed Rail's KPMG Conflict Investigation Remains Open as CEO Returns From Leave California High-Speed Rail Authority CEO Ian Choudri returned from leave in March with the KPMG conflict-of-interest investigation still open, as the agency faces a $4 billion federal funding termination and statutory business plan deadlines. Aaron Rafferty April 12, 2026 Key Takeaways: California High-Speed Rail Authority CEO Ian Choudri returned from voluntary leave in March after the Sacramento County DA declined to file charges, but the board's parallel investigation into his fiancée's employment at a $24 million Authority contractor remains open. Choudri's fiancée, Lyudmyla "Mila" Starostyuk, was hired as a managing advisor at KPMG in early 2026, the same accounting firm that holds a $24 million financial advisory contract with the Rail Authority running through 2029. The conflict investigation lands against a larger backdrop: the Federal Railroad Administration terminated roughly $4 billion in federal grants in July 2025, and the Authority missed its statutory March 2 deadline to release a 2026 Business Plan reckoning with the gap. Folsom police arrested Choudri and Starostyuk on February 4 after a neighbor called 911 during a family dispute. The Sacramento County District Attorney's Office declined to file charges , citing an inability to establish a dominant aggressor. Choudri took voluntary leave. E&E News reported on March 5 that he was cleared to return. The KPMG question is separate and has not resolved. Starostyuk's LinkedIn shows she was hired by KPMG as a managing advisor in early 2026, the same window in which the firm held and extended a $24 million financial advisory contract with the Rail Authority. Governor Gavin Newsom confirmed at