By Shah J. Choudhury
New York, Oct. 29: U.S. authorities have arrested Mehul, a 39-year-old Indian-origin resident of New York, on charges of grand larceny after he allegedly worked two full-time jobs at once — a practice often referred to as moonlighting.
Investigators say Mehul was employed remotely with the New York State Office of Information Technology Services (ITS) as his primary job. However, during the same period, he also took up another full-time position as a contractor with GlobalFoundries, a major semiconductor manufacturing company based in Malta, New York, starting in March 2022.
A joint investigation by the New York State Inspector General’s Office and the Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office revealed that Mehul’s dual employment led to the misuse of approximately $50,000 in taxpayer funds. Authorities stated that his actions violated state employment rules and ethical guidelines, resulting in financial loss to the government.
Mehul has been charged with grand larceny, a serious felony offense under New York State law. If convicted, he faces up to 15 years in prison.
Officials described the case as an example of “abuse of public trust,” emphasizing that state employees are strictly prohibited from holding multiple full-time positions simultaneously.
Editor’s Note:
The incident sheds light on the growing concern over remote work ethics and moonlighting practices in the post-pandemic workforce. It also raises questions about internal oversight and accountability within public service systems.
