A city electrician pocketed more than $63,000 from copper wiring he stole from the Brooklyn hospital where he earned a comfortable six-figure salary, authorities said.
But the lawyer for suspect Iqbal Bacchus, 46, suggested Bacchus was selling wiring that the hospital was discarding.
Bacchus — whose salary topped $250,000 last year — was arrested Wednesday and charged with grand larceny and official misconduct. He pleaded not guilty and was released without bail.
The city Department of Investigation said that between March 2025 and this past March Bacchus stole $50,000 worth copper wiring from his workplace, South Brooklyn Health, formerly Coney Island Hospital — then made 47 trips to a nearby scrapyard where he sold the copper. The scrapyard, Cropsey Scrap Iron & Metal, had no comment.
DOI Commissioner Nadia Shihata said the probe started with a tip that Bacchus was seen leaving the hospital with boxes and bags.
She also said the evidence includes video showing the suspect loading what he stole into a white vehicle at a hospital loading dock. He was also seen on video at least once selling wiring at the scrapyard, Shihata added, and the company’s business records document payments to Bacchus.
“Misconduct by city employees undermines the public’s trust in all City employees, the vast majority of whom are committed to integrity and public service,” Shihata said.
South Brooklyn Health — formerly known as Coney Island Hospital — is pictured in this file photo. (Shutterstock)
Bacchus, who lives in Queens and is married with three children, could not be reached for comment. His lawyer, Todd Greenberg, called him a “hardworking guy” who did nothing wrong.
“These were items being thrown in garbage bins,” he said.
Shihata said the suspect made $254,000 last year, though online records indicate he earned nearly $410,000.
Bacchus, who previously worked for NYC Transit, described himself on LinkedIn as “an ambitious individual who is aiming for a challenging position in the electrical and/ or mechanical industry utilizing my acquired knowledge.”
“I am able to work under minimal supervision…,” he added.
With John Annese and Evan Simko-Bednarski