An emergency medicine physician has been charged with grand larceny, among other crimes, for allegedly stealing roughly $1.45 million by using a business credit card for personal purchases.
Between Dec. 1, 2016, and Jan. 31, 2023, Michael Lucchesi, MD, who served as a chairman of emergency medicine at New York City-based SUNY Downstate Medical Center, made personal purchases using a credit card meant to be used for business purposes only, according to a news release from the King County (N.Y.) district attorney's office.
At various points, he also served as acting head of New York City-based Downstate Hospital and the medical school and the chief medical officer.
Dr. Lucchesi's spending allegedly included cash advances of approximately $115,000, pet care totaling $176,000, $348,000 spent on personal travel, $109,000 in payments to the New York Sports Club for membership and personal training, $52,000 in catering expenses and $46,000 in tuition payments for his children, among other purchases.
Dr. Lucchesi is involved in a nine-count indictment in which he is charged with first- and second-degree grand larceny, first-degree falsifying business records and third-degree criminal tax fraud, the release said.