Attorney General Kris Mayes has successfully prosecuted Katherine Comesano and Gary Cartier, the culprits behind a $200,000+ pandemic unemployment fraud scheme. The couple’s deception was put to an end when they both received 2.5-year prison sentences after pleading guilty in Maricopa County Superior Court. Mayes made it clear that her administration remains unwavering in its pursuit of scammers. “Protecting taxpayer monies from fraud is one of my office’s most vital jobs. I’m proud of the people of my staff who work tirelessly to expose those who abuse government systems and hold them accountable to the fullest extent of the law,” she said in a statement received by the Attorney General’s Office.
Arizona and California’s Pandemic Unemployment Assistance programs lost more than $200,000 in fraud. The pair submitted a total of 24 bogus applications, sometimes even in their names but with false employment or residency information. Comesano and Cartier used the stolen monies to support a series of Airbnbs throughout the valley, as well as to buy vehicles at auction. A considerable amount of criminal restitution—$209,659 in total—was ordered to be paid back. The Department of Economic Security’s Michael Wisehart emphasized the critical nature of the assistance programs, stating, “Pandemic Unemployment Assistance was a critical lifeline for families, and those who abuse the system and commit fraud undermine the systems people rely on,” according to the Arizona Attorney General’s Office website.
The investigation by Arizona’s Department of Economic Security Office of Inspector General and the Department of Homeland Security COVID Fraud Unit resulted in the dismantling of this criminal operation. The skillful work of Assistant Attorney General Matthew Ashton ensured the accountability of the offenders. When law enforcement detained Comesano and Cartier, they discovered a notebook with lists of fake information that could be used to apply for COVID relief monies in various states, as well as notes on which states were the most lucrative targets.
Visit the Attorney General’s website for further details, to review Comesano and Cartier’s indictments, and to view their booking images.
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