Attorney General Kris Mayes Secures Prison Sentence for Couple Who Orchestrated $200,000+ Pandemic Unemployment Fraud Scheme

PHOENIX – Attorney General Kris Mayes announced that Katherine Comesano and Gary Cartier have each been sentenced to 2.5 years in prison following guilty pleas in Maricopa County Superior Court for their role defrauding Pandemic Unemployment Assistance programs of over $200,000. 

“Protecting taxpayer dollars from fraud is one of the most important duties of my office. I’m proud of the members of my team who continue to diligently uncover individuals abusing government systems and hold them accountable to the full extent of the law,“ said Attorney General Mayes. “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.”  

On August 18, 2025, the couple pled guilty to Illegally Conducting an Enterprise for working together to steal over $200,000 from Pandemic Unemployment Assistance programs in Arizona and California. On September 17, 2025, the Court sentenced Comesano and Cartier and ordered them to pay $209,659 in criminal restitution. 

“Pandemic Unemployment Assistance was a critical lifeline for families, and those who abuse the system and commit fraud undermine the systems people rely on,” said DES Director Michael Wisehart. “Partnership with the Attorney General’s Office and law enforcement at all levels helps us protect the integrity of these programs and ensure assistance is available to those who truly need it.” 

Comesano and Cartier filed 24 fraudulent Pandemic Unemployment Assistance applications in Arizona, California, Colorado, and Guam. Some of these applications were in their own names but with false employment or residency information, and others were in the names of other people. 

Comesano and Cartier used the more than $200,000 in stolen funds to stay at various Airbnbs throughout the valley and purchase cars at auctions. When officers arrested them, they found a notebook in which Comesano had listed fake information they could use to apply for COVID relief in various states, as well as which states gave out the most money. 

This case was investigated jointly by the Arizona Department of Economic Security Office of Inspector General and the Department of Homeland Security COVID Fraud Unit and prosecuted by Assistant Attorney General Matthew Ashton. 

A copy of the indictment is here. A copy of Comesano’s booking photo is here. A copy of Cartier’s photo is here.