Indian-Origin Man Arrested in US for Moonlighting, Faces 15-Year Jail Term
An Indian-origin man, Mehul Goswami, 39, has been arrested in New York on charges of grand larceny after allegedly earning about Rs 40 lakh ($50,000) through illegal moonlighting while employed by the New York State Office of Information Technology Services (ITS).
According to reports, Goswami was working remotely for the state IT department as his primary job but simultaneously took up another full-time contract position with semiconductor firm GlobalFoundries in Malta, New York, starting March 2022.
An anonymous tip triggered an investigation by the New York State Inspector General’s Office and the Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office, revealing that Goswami had been working for a private employer during the same hours he was being paid as a state employee.
Inspector General Lucy Lang condemned the act, saying:
“Public employees are entrusted with the responsibility to serve with integrity, and Goswami’s alleged conduct represents a serious breach of that trust. Working a second, full-time job while claiming to be working for the State is an abuse of public resources, including taxpayer dollars.”
On October 15, Goswami was arrested for grand larceny in the second degree, a Class C felony under New York law, carrying a maximum sentence of up to 15 years in prison. He appeared before Judge James A. Fauci in Malta Town Court and was released without bail, as the charges did not qualify for bail under the updated state law.
Goswami reportedly earned $117,891 in 2024 as a project coordinator for the New York State ITS. His case has reignited debate around moonlighting, particularly among remote workers juggling multiple jobs without employer consent.
Inspector General Lang added that her office would “continue to work closely with law enforcement partners to uphold the integrity of public service in New York State.”
News Source : Information for this article was gathered from a variety of reliable news outlets.
