NEW YORK (1010 WINS) -- A New York City bus driver was caught gambling in New Jersey nearly 100 times while on paid leave, an inspector general report revealed.
The unnamed driver visited Atlantic City 95 times and Pennsylvania’s Hershey Park one time while on paid sick or family leave, according to the city inspector general.
The report said the driver took nearly $25,000 in pay, a total of 824 hours worth. During those hours, officials said they obtained records that pinned him at the Tropicana Resort and Casino in Atlantic City.
According to the inspector, the driver submitted 18 forms falsely claiming he wasn’t able to work due to his own or someone else’s illness.
The driver has since admitted to the fraudulent behavior, telling the inspector’s office that he has a gambling addiction.
The Inspector General’s Office recommended punishments as severe as termination and recouping all payments for his leave.
NYC Transit suspended the driver without pay in May 2021, an as of October, the driver had agreed to pay back the agency.
The driver first was hired by the MTA in 1996, assigned to a depot in Gravesend. The report said he is now attempting to retire.