A former assistant commissioner at the city’s Department of Environmental Protection agreed to pay a $5,000 fine after admitting to treating an agency aide as her personal chauffeur for years.
Martha Osenni, DEP’s Assistant Commissioner of Equal Employment Opportunity, had an agency investigator drive her on personal trips on 50 occasions from 2003 to 2016 –frequently back to her home on Staten Island after work, as well to the gym, a medical facility, a bakery, pet store and furniture store, her daughter’s school, and even Zabar’s — where her daughter worked, according to a settlement released Monday by the Conflicts of Interest Board.
“Driving me to my home added 14 miles, and approximately 40 minutes, to the EEO’s investigator’s regular commute,” said the former administrator, who was employed by DEP from 1986 until February of this year.
The driver was on duty and paid by DEP during the trips.
“On two occasions, the EEO investigator was paid for working a full day even though he left the office early to drive me home because I was feeling ill,” Osenni said in the settlement.
She also admitted that she didn’t fully reimburse the investigator for gas and toll costs, though she “sporadically” paid him.
Osenni conceded violating the City Charter’s ethics law barring the use of government workers for personal or financial benefit.
Osenni, who earned $153,000, signed the settlement on May 14 — three months after she retired.


