In a shocking case of employment fraud, an Indian-origin man, Mehul Goswami, has been arrested in New York for allegedly working two full-time jobs at once and stealing $50,000 from state funds.
Goswami was employed remotely with the New York State Office of Information Technology Services (ITS) while simultaneously holding another full-time position in the nearby town of Malta. Authorities say he drew salaries from both positions without disclosing the dual employment.
Investigation and Legal Action
The case was jointly investigated by the Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office and the New York State Inspector General’s Office. Inspector General Lucy Lang condemned Goswami’s actions, stating that his conduct was a “serious breach of public trust.”
“Working a second, full-time job while claiming to be working for the State is an abuse of public resources and taxpayer dollars,” Lang said. Under New York’s revised rules, Goswami’s offense is non-bailable, and he faces up to 15 years in prison if convicted of grand larceny.
Moonlighting on the Rise
Moonlighting—holding multiple jobs simultaneously—has seen a sharp rise globally. According to the US Department of Labor, over 4 million Americans held two jobs in 2022, with hundreds of thousands working two full-time positions.
The trend is also catching on in India, especially in the IT sector, driven by low salary growth and rising living costs. Indian companies have begun tightening internal checks to curb undisclosed secondary employment.
