State IT Worker Charged with $50K Theft for Moonlighting on Remote Job

Two full-time jobs on an Information Technology Expert of New York State — for a state and for the second one small town — working from home, allegedly critically accused of grabbing the amount of more than $50,000 from the money of taxpayers.

State IT project coordinator Mehul A. Goswami was accused of stealing over $50,000 in taxpayer funds while holding two full-time jobs

Arrest and charge
39-year-old Mehul A. Goswami was arrested on Wednesday and he was accused of a second-class grand larceny, which is a Class C felony and for which 15 years can be punished. Officials say that this scam came out when Goswami, who is a project coordinator of State Information Technology Services (ITS), used to work hours for his $117,891 per year job, and also handled responsibilities for Malta city of Saratoga County.

Goswami, who had earned his official salary without the clear disclosure of the conflict, was presented before Judge A. James A. Fauci. He was released on self-bail, and his return date was pending in the court. When contacted on the phone, Goswami refused to comment and did not give any details about legal representation.

Disclosure
The Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office expressed the alleged fraud after a long check with the Office of the State Inspector General. The investigators have not told the exact time limit of the alleged fraud, although it is said that it lasted for many years. Goswami was involved in the state-level role of IT projects, a post which allows flexible remote work — a privilege about which accusers say that this plan made the scheme possible.

Official response
Inspector General Lucille Lang said in a statement, “It is a clear misuse of the public’s trust and resources. We are committed to eliminating such malpractice to protect the tax amount of New Yorkers.”

Sheriff officials have urged any person to share information about similar irregularities on their tip line. With the continuation of the investigation, Lang’s office has vowed to take action on “any person who weakens the integrity of public service.”

Public response and local effects
This case has given air to the online discussion about surveillance in public sector jobs, and some residents have questioned how long the double job went unnoticed. Malta city officials have not responded to the requests for comment about Goswami.

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