Indian Techie in New York Risks Decade-and-a-Half Behind Bars Over Secret Side Gig

In a stark reminder of the perils of juggling multiple jobs in the era of remote work, a 39-year-old man of Indian descent in New York faces severe legal repercussions for allegedly holding down a second full-time position while drawing a state salary.

Mehul Goswami, employed as a project coordinator with the New York State Office of Information Technology Services, was taken into custody on October 15 by the Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office. Authorities charged him with second-degree grand larceny, a class C felony that could result in up to 15 years of imprisonment under New York law. The allegations center on Goswami’s purported double-dipping: performing duties for a private semiconductor firm during hours billed to his public-sector role, effectively siphoning off roughly $50,000 in taxpayer funds.

The probe, launched jointly by the New York State Inspector General’s Office and the Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office, stemmed from an anonymous tip highlighting suspicious overlaps in Goswami’s schedule. Since March 2022, while stationed remotely for the state—where he earned $117,891 in 2024—Goswami moonlighted as a contractor for GlobalFoundries in Malta, New York, according to details uncovered in the investigation and reported by US media outlets.

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“This alleged behavior strikes at the heart of public trust,” stated Inspector General Lucy Lang in remarks covered by CBS 6 News. “State employees bear a duty to uphold integrity, and claiming pay for work not performed amounts to a blatant exploitation of public resources, including hard-earned taxpayer dollars.” Lang emphasized her office’s ongoing collaboration with law enforcement to safeguard the sanctity of government service across New York.

Goswami made his initial court appearance before Judge James A. Fauci in Malta Town Court shortly after his arrest. True to recent reforms in state bail statutes, the charge did not qualify as a bail-eligible offense, allowing his release pending further proceedings. “We remain committed to pursuing accountability for any actions that erode the foundations of public employment in our state,” Lang added.

The episode, as noted in a Times Union analysis, has reignited discussions on the blurred boundaries of remote work policies, particularly around undisclosed secondary employment. As hybrid arrangements become commonplace, Goswami’s predicament underscores the potential fallout when professional boundaries dissolve.