CEO of NYC migrant company DocGo resigns after allegedly lying about college degrees
The CEO of controversial New York migrant company DocGo has suddenly resigned – after he was caught allegedly lying about his educational background.
The publicly traded company announced the departure of CEO Anthony Capone brief statement filed with the Securities Exchange and Commission on Friday.
“On September 15, 2023, Anthony Capone resigned as Chief Executive Officer of DocGo Inc. (the “Company”) and from all other positions within the Company, effective immediately, for personal reasons,” the statement filed with the SEC said.
Capone’s exodus came one day according to the Upstate Times Union said the CEO lied about his college degrees.
In his professional biography and a previous SEC filing, Capone said he earned a master’s degree in computer science from Clarkson University in St. Lawrence County.
“Mr. Capone earned his bachelor’s degree from the State University of New York College at Potsdam and his MS in computer science from Clarkson University,” the SEC filing states.
Capone also touted his alleged education to investors last month when he reportedly said he had a degree from Clarkson while discussing his company’s bid to win government contracts to provide services to migrants streaming into New York from the southern border .
“My degree is in the theory of computational learning, a branch of artificial intelligence,” Capone claimed to the group on August 9, according to the Times Union.
Clarkson University told the Times Union that Capone did not attend college or earn a degree, while the former DocGo CEO admitted he did not have a master’s degree. SUNY Potsdam would not say whether Capone earned a bachelor’s degree there.
When confronted by the Times Union on Thursday, Capone said the fake college degree listed in his biography was an “inaccuracy” that “should have been corrected.”
“I would like to address a serious issue regarding false information about my educational background,” Capone wrote.
“I must immediately clarify: I do not have a master’s degree from Clarkson University or any other institution. This inaccuracy should have been corrected and I deeply apologize for this error. However, I have a bachelor’s degree in computer science with a concentration in artificial intelligence from an accredited university.
“I take full responsibility and will immediately make corrections to all official biographies, profiles and any other materials in which this incorrect information appears,” he said.
A company representative told The Post in a statement on Sunday: “Anthony Capone has decided to step down as CEO of DocGo for personal reasons.”
“The company is grateful for his leadership throughout his tenure at DocGo. Current President and COO Lee Bienstock has assumed the role of CEO and we have full confidence in his ability to move the company forward. We remain true to our mission of providing high-quality, accessible healthcare for all.”
Both the offices of New York Attorney General Letitia James and Gov. Kathy Hochul have opened investigations into DocGo over a series of complaints alleging migrants were allegedly misled and mistreated by the company while being processed as part of a $432 million -No-bid contract was moved upstate to New York City.
The city’s auditor, Brad Lander, recently rejected the contract, saying the company lacked expertise outside of providing medical services.
But Mayor Eric Adams defended the DocGo deal in light of the migrant complaints and said the city would move forward despite the comptroller’s objections.
One of the most recent published examples of lies was the biography of Congressman George Santos (R-Nassau/Queens), who admitted after his election victory last year that he had never graduated from college, despite previously claiming to have a degree from Baruch received college in 2010.
Santos was subsequently charged by federal prosecutors for alleged involvement in financial fraud and money laundering. He denies the allegations.
