Arizona residents will spend the next two and a half years behind bars after orchestrating an elaborate scheme that drained more than $200,000 from pandemic unemployment programs designed to help struggling families during the COVID-19 crisis.
Katherine Comesano and Gary Cartier were sentenced this week in Maricopa County Superior Court after pleading guilty to charges stemming from their multi-state fraud operation. The couple admitted to operating an illegal enterprise that targeted Pandemic Unemployment Assistance programs across four jurisdictions.
Claims
Court documents reveal they submitted 24 fraudulent unemployment applications spanning Arizona, California, Colorado, and Guam. Their plan included filing claims under their own names, using fabricated employment histories and residency information, as well as submitting applications under different identities.
The scheme then became clear when law enforcement officers discovered a handwritten notebook during the couple's arrest. Inside, investigators found Comesano's detailed notes cataloging false information that could be used for relief applications, along with research on which states offered the highest payouts.
Rather than using the fraudulently obtained money for necessities as intended by the relief programs, Comesano and Cartier funded an extravagant lifestyle. They used the stolen taxpayer dollars to book stays at upscale Airbnb properties throughout the Phoenix metropolitan area and purchase vehicles at auto auctions.
Quick Justice
The legal proceedings moved quickly once charges were filed. The couple pleaded guilty on August 18th and received their sentences less than a month later on September 17th. The court ordered them to pay back $209,659 in criminal restitution as well.
Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes emphasized her office's commitment to pursuing such cases, stating that protecting taxpayer money from fraud remains a top priority.
Investigation
The case originated from an investigation conducted by the Arizona Department of Economic Security's Office of Inspector General and the Department of Homeland Security's COVID-19 Fraud Unit. Assistant Attorney General Matthew Ashton handled the prosecution.
Michael Wisehart, Director of the Department of Economic Security, emphasized how fraud undermines the programs designed to help families in crisis. He praised the partnership between state and federal agencies in protecting the integrity of assistance programs.
“If you are defrauding government programs for your own gain, spending taxpayer dollars on unapproved items like new cars and Airbnb's, my office will come after you,” Kris Mayes concluded.
