A former top doctor at SUNY Downstate Medical Center has been accused of stealing nearly $1.5 million from the public hospital to fund a lavish lifestyle, including luxury travel and a premier pet resort, prosecutors said on Tuesday. Dr. Michael Lucchesi, 66, allegedly used a business credit card between December 2016 and January 2023 to spend $176,000 on pet care at Greenleaf Pet Resort & Hotel, $109,000 on New York Sports Club memberships and personal training, and about $115,000 in cash advances.
Lucchesi, a Staten Island resident, held various high-ranking positions during his long career at the hospital, including chairman of emergency medicine, acting head of the hospital and medical school, and chief medical officer at different points. District Attorney Eric Gonzalez stated that as a high-ranking doctor at the vital healthcare institution, Lucchesi was entrusted with access to significant funds which he allegedly exploited, stealing over one million dollars to pay for an extravagant lifestyle.
The scope of the alleged thefts is shocking, and Gonzalez’s office is committed to holding accountable anyone who rips off taxpayers. The alleged theft was first uncovered by SUNY officials during an audit. The district attorney’s office worked with the state inspector general’s office to bring the case forward.
New Yorkers deserve doctors who uphold their oath with the utmost integrity,” Inspector Lucy Lang stated. The spending spree on the State’s dime alleged here is an insult to hardworking taxpayers and the medical profession.
Lucchesi’s lawyer, however, attempted to paint a different picture of the case, insisting there is ambiguity with how the funds were used and claiming that they were not stolen. Lucchesi was charged with first- and second-degree grand larceny, first-degree falsifying business records, third-degree criminal tax fraud, and other criminal counts. He was arraigned in court on Tuesday on a nine-count indictment and released without bail, with a court date set for September 25. Lucchesi retired from the hospital last year after three decades on the job.
