Johan Sheridan
August 7, 2025
Dr. Michael Lucchesi, the former chair of emergency medicine and head of the hospital and medical school at SUNY Downstate Medical Center in Brooklyn, has been sentenced to one to three years in state prison for stealing approximately $1.44 million from the hospital. Lucchesi used a state-issued credit card for personal purchases between December 2016 and January 2023, which was only meant for official expenses for SUNY Downstate's clinical practice. He spent the stolen money on tuition payments for his children, online shopping, electronics, flowers, and liquor, as well as personal travel, pet care, cash, a New York Sports Club membership, and premium seating at concerts, sports events, and Broadway shows.
ALBANY, N.Y. (NEXSTAR) — A former leader at SUNY Downstate Medical Center in Brooklyn received a one- to three-year sentence in state prison for stealing about $1.44 million from the hospital. Dr. Michael Lucchesi, 67, of Staten Island was both chair of emergency medicine and head of the hospital and medical school.
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Lucchesi pleaded guilty on June 13 to one count of first-degree grand larceny. His plea deal requires him to repay $720,000. That’s $63,926 to the State Department of Taxation and Finance and $656,074 to SUNY Downstate’s clinical practice.
The sentence “serves as a stark warning to any public servant who would abuse their position of trust for personal gain,” according to New York State Inspector General Lucy Lang. “Public institutions like SUNY Downstate exist to serve New Yorkers in need—not to bankroll the luxury lifestyle of a doctor entrusted with caring for our state’s most vulnerable communities.”
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District Attorney Eric Gonzalez said that Lucchesi “violated that trust by stealing nearly $1.5 million.” He said that, but for Lucchesi, the money would have paid for lifesaving treatment and care.
An investigation by the Inspector General’s Office found that Lucchesi used a state-issued credit card for personal purchases between December 2016 and January 2023. That card was only meant for official expenses for SUNY Downstate’s clinical practice.
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The investigation began after university auditors uncovered the matter. “SUNY took immediate action and alerted authorities,” said Chancellor John King Jr. He said that SUNY Downstate is now in a stronger position because of “more stringent internal controls and comprehensive oversight systems.”
Ultimately, the Inspector General’s office determined that Lucchesi spent the stolen money on tuition payments for his kids, online shopping, electronics, flowers, and liquor. And:
- $348,000 on personal travel
- $176,000 for pet care, with $120,000 for a New Jersey pet resort
- $115,000 in cash
- $109,000 for a New York Sports Club membership and personal training
- $92,000 for premium seating at concerts, sports events, and Broadway shows
- $52,000 on catering
