State Employee Accused Of Stealing Salary, Benefits

WAPPINGERS FALLS, NY — A Hudson Valley health care aide was accused of billing the state for more than $4,000 in unearned salary and expenses. State Inspector General Catherine Leahy Scott announced August 1 that Luke O. Gaga, 28, of Wappingers Falls, was arrested and charged with third-degree grand larceny and first-degree offering a false instrument for filing, felonies, and official misconduct, a misdemeanor.

Scott said Gaga, a direct support assistant with the state Office for People with Developmental Disabilities in Dutchess County, allegedly used his government-issued credit card and other means between late September 2015 through mid-January 2016 to steal $4,069 in unearned salary and personal expenses for which he was not entitled to be reimbursed.

The expenses included an extended stay in an Adirondack hotel and restaurant meals while he was not working. He also allegedly took salary for days in which he did not report to work. (For more information on this and other neighborhood stories, subscribe to Patch to receive daily newsletters and breaking news alerts.)

Gaga also allegedly submitted a falsified mileage report to be reimbursed for more than 2,200 vehicle miles on a rental car that was already paid for by the state.

Scott said Gaga “enjoyed an improper taxpayer-subsidized reteat in the Adirondacks.

“His inappropriate and brazen use of taxpayer resources to subsidize his own personal rest and recreation was a brazen violation of the public trust,” she said. “I will continue to use the resources of my offices to put a stop to ay improper use of government resources.”

Gaga was arraigned on the charges Tuesday in the City of Albany Court and released pending further court action.

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