MTA Worker Accused Of Messy Pay-For-Hire Scheme

Ronica Ganesh (via Facebook)

An MTA HR staffer has been accused of taking cash bribes from people in exchange for jobs with the MTA. Ronica Ganesh, 28, is suspected of telling applicants she could get them entry-level subway mechanic positions for at least $1,000. Officials also believe she may have fudged applicants' test scores for an additional $500. She denied the allegations to the News, and implied a vaster conspiracy behind the accusations: "These are false allegations...There was somebody who was harassing me."

A subway car inspector, Jerry Zachariah, is also a target of the investigation, though his role is less clear. The investigation started after several workers who were laid off due to budget cuts complained that they had paid her for the jobs...and wanted their bribes back. Then, other laid-off workers began complaining that they had lost their jobs to make room for the pay-for-hire workers. Ganesh, who makes about $60,000 a year as an analyst in the MTA's NYC Transit Division, got her job through her father, who is a superintendent in the car equipment department, earning about $100,000 a year.

It sounds to us like there's a seed in this story for a mid-level Coen Brothers black-comedy. Best of all, the News also spoke to a man who identified himself as her brother, and he said poignantly, "She's such a dummy if it's true."

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Ben Yakas in News on February 25, 2011 6:13 PM

Comments [rss]

Kojak1

You'd think that if your dad hooked you up with a position somewhere, you'd be on your best behavior as you don't want to make a bad impression...

She has brought GREAT SHAME to family and must be shunned forevar

silver

Lets talk about honor killings.

freddynyc

The face is a little too chiseled for my tastes, but I'd hit that....

gerald

@ lazyMTA>>> DO NOT BLAME THE UNION<<< read this tuesday's Chief... I am after the corruption real hard. Her dad got her the job based on her resume! His name. I lost my NYCT job fighting the bosses, I won $50,000 for race discrimination, and I am still after an end to corruption. An honest civil service test, verified USA High School or GED test diploma, or USA military service. USA higher educations. Foreign educations are given free in other countries and give our poor a disavantadge.

lazyMTA

Wow, she makes 60k a year and her dad makes 100k a year? How much do one of those jobs cost? Just hike the fare, and these guys who bought into their jobs get to keep them forever, thanks to the MTA union.

Rocknrope

One of the best things to come out of Facebook is the use of douchy or "come-hither" photos by the media in reporting minor criminal activity.