Ex-Top Doctor At SUNY Downstate Stole Nearly $1.5 Million: DA

BROOKLYN, NY — An ex top official and doctor at SUNY Downstate Medical Center stole nearly $1.5 million from the hospital by using a business credit card for personal purchases and travel expenses, prosecutors said.

Michael Lucchesi, 66, of Staten Island, used the business card between December 2016 and January 2023 to spend $109,000 on a New York Sports Club membership and personal training, about $115,000 in cash advances, $176,000 in pet care, $348,000 on personal travel and thousands of dollars in other personal expenses, the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office said.

“As a high-ranking doctor at this vital healthcare institution, this defendant was entrusted with access to significant funds, which he allegedly exploited, stealing more than one million dollars to pay for a lavish lifestyle. The scope of the alleged thefts is shocking, and my office is committed to holding accountable anyone who rips off the taxpayers," District Attorney Eric Gonzalez said.

Lucchesi has been charged with first- and second-degree grand larceny, first-degree falsifying business records and third-degree criminal tax fraud.

The alleged thefts were discovered by SUNY during an audit.

“New Yorkers deserve doctors who uphold their oath with the utmost integrity. The spending spree on the State's dime alleged here is an insult to hardworking taxpayers and the medical profession. My office will continue to rigorously investigate any public servant who violates the public trust by abusing their position of authority," New York State Inspector General Lucy Lang said.