Indian-origin techie faces 15 years in US jail for moonlighting and 'stealing' $50,000

Indian origin IT contractor is facing 15 years of prison in the US for ‘stealing’ $50,000 in state funds. According to official records, he used to work remotely for the New York State Office of Information Technology Services has been charged with grand larceny for holding a second full-time job. The suspect, identified as Mehul Goswami, had another job in the nearby town of Malta.

“Public employees are entrusted with the responsibility to serve with integrity, and Mr Goswami’s alleged conduct represents a serious breach of that trust,” said Inspector General Lucy Lang.

The case is being jointly investigated by the Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office and the New York State Inspector General’s Office. According to government reports, having a second full-time job while working for the state is an abuse of state resources and a non-bailable crime under New York City law.

Goswami's official salary in 2024 was $117,891. He allegedly began his second full-time job in March 2022 as a contractor with GlobalFoundries, a Semiconductor company based in Malta, New York. The authorities received an anonymous email about Mehul moonlighting at a private company while being employed with taxpayers' money.

"We truly value the relationships we have with our law enforcement partners. This is a perfect example of the power of collaboration, and we look forward to this case's successful resolution in court," she said.

There had been a growing trend of moonlighting in US. The U.S. Bureau of Labour Statistics reported a record 8.9 million Americans working multiple jobs as of February 2025, which represents about 5.4% of the employed population.