New York officials have closed two investigations into conflict-of-interest allegations against the former CEO of University Hospital at Downstate in New York City, Politico reported May 8.
Four things to know:
1. David Berger, MD, resigned as CEO in December 2024 amid investigations by the New York Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government and the Office of the Inspector General into alleged financial misconduct.
2. Dr. Berger had ties to several companies doing business with SUNY Downstate that he did not initially disclose, the inspector general’s office determined, according to a December 2025 closure memo cited by Politico. He disclosed the relationships after the hospital added him to the ethics commission’s registry.
3.SUNY Downstate had not flagged Dr. Berger — or potentially hundreds of other employees — as subject to financial disclosure requirements, Politico reported. The hospital has since worked to correct the gap.
4. A SUNY spokesperson shared the following statement with Becker’s:
“At SUNY, we expect the highest ethical conduct from senior officials, and we will always uphold that value. We conducted a thorough and comprehensive investigation, during which Mr. Berger resigned his position. The targeted investigation conducted by the state’s OIG, following our referral, doesn’t change any of those facts.”
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