The former chairman of the emergency medicine department at SUNY Downstate Medical Center on Friday admitted to stealing $1.4 million from the hospital, according to prosecutors.
Dr. Michael Lucchesi, 67, of Staten Island, pleaded guilty to first-degree grand larceny in Brooklyn Supreme Court, according to Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez. Lucchesi exploited his access to a clinical practice credit card to fund personal purchases between December 2016 and January 2023, Gonzalez said.
“The defendant used his employment with a vital healthcare institution to gain access to more than $1 million to fund a lavish lifestyle," Gonzalez said in a statement. "Today’s guilty plea is an admission of his violation of the public trust by using his position to steal from taxpayers and SUNY Downstate."
The investigation revealed that Lucchesi charged approximately $1.44 million in unauthorized expenses. These included $348,000 in personal travel, $176,000 for pet care, including more than $120,000 at a luxury pet resort in New Jersey, $109,000 in gym memberships and personal training, and tens of thousands more on premium event tickets, catering, tuition, liquor and electronics.
The theft was uncovered during an internal audit by SUNY. Lucchesi was indicted on charges including grand larceny, falsifying business records, and criminal tax fraud. His plea deal includes a prison sentence of one to three years and repayment of $720,000 in restitution. This restitution comprises $63,926 paid to the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance and $656,074 owed to Downstate Hospital’s clinical practice, due at sentencing on August 6, 2025.
