Michael Matteo, a former employee of the Albany City Water Department, tragically ended his life by jumping from the Patroon Island Bridge in Albany, New York. The incident occurred on Tuesday, the same day Matteo was scheduled to appear in court for sentencing related to a 2022 grand larceny conviction.
Matteo, 57, had previously pleaded guilty to charges of defrauding a North Albany family of $139,000. The funds were meant for the restoration of their home, which had been severely damaged by fire. Under the terms of a plea agreement, Matteo was required to pay $138,698 in restitution. Failure to meet this condition could have led to a maximum sentence of seven years in state prison. According to reports, Matteo was trying to postpone his sentencing when he informed his lawyer via text that he was parking his vehicle near the courthouse, shortly before his death.
The Albany County District Attorney’s office notified Matteo’s lawyer, Joseph McCoy, about his death approximately one hour after County Court Judge Andra Ackerman issued a warrant for his arrest due to his failure to appear in court as scheduled.
Following the incident, state police closed sections of Interstate 787 and Interstate 90 to manage the scene and direct traffic away from the area. The road closures prompted authorities to advise motorists to seek alternate routes.
Michael Matteo’s role at the Albany City Water Department was as a dispatch administrator until his resignation in July 2022. His illegal activities began in June 2022, leveraging his position to persuade the victimized family that he could manage their home restoration project, involving contractors and municipal resources. This deceit led them to issue 19 checks over seven months for renovations that were never completed.
This unfortunate event underscores the deep personal turmoil Matteo experienced and the broader consequences of his actions, affecting both his victims and the community. His death marks a somber closure to a case of betrayal and misused trust within the city administration.
