Who is Mehul Goswami? Indian-origin NY resident arrested for secretly working second job, faces 15 years in jail
Mehul Goswami, 39, was detained for allegedly stealing over $50,000 in taxpayer funds while working two jobs.
US officials detained an Indian-origin man on charges of “grand larceny” last week after discovering he was working two jobs at one time.
Mehul Goswami, 39, has been accused of “stealing” over $50,000 in taxpayer funds by working a second job in the town of Malta while on the clock and working remotely for the New York State Office of Information Technology Services. He is now facing up to 15 years in prison for the non-bailable class C felony.
Mehul Goswami's two jobs and charges against him
He started working on a second job in March 2022 as a contractor for GlobalFoundries in Malta. According to the Saratoga County Sheriff's Office, Goswami worked for the semiconductor firm while employed by the state of New York.
“Public employees are entrusted with the responsibility to serve with integrity, and Mr. Goswami’s alleged conduct represents a serious breach of that trust," stated New York State Inspector General Lucy Lang, as per WRGB.
Lang further clarified that “working a second, full-time job while claiming to be working for the State is an abuse of public resources, including taxpayer dollars.”
Mehul Goswami faces 15 years of imprisonment
Goswami faces a sentence of almost ten years in prison for the charge of second-degree grand theft. In the state of New York, the maximum penalty for this kind of offense is 15 years.
In the Malta Town Court, Goswami was brought up before Judge James A. Fauci and then freed on his own recognizance while more proceedings were conducted. According to New York state law, the charge is no longer a qualifying offense for bail as of January 2020.
“My office will continue to work closely with our law enforcement partners to hold anyone accountable who would undermine the integrity of public service in New York State,” Lang said after Goswami's arrest.
