LOS ANGELES, CA — Two Los Angeles police officers have been accused of committing insurance fraud when they collected tens of thousands in unemployment benefits even though they were on the force, prosecutors said Thursday.
Peter Mastrocinque, who turns 47 on Friday, and Nicole Ashley Grant, 40, each face a felony charge of insurance fraud and felony charge of unemployment insurance fraud, according to the Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office.
Between September 2020 and January 2022, the pair filed claims for unemployment benefits, despite working full time as Los Angeles Police Department officers and working at one or more other jobs, prosecutors claim.
“At the height of the pandemic when so many people needed assistance, there were some accused of exploiting the system that was meant to help those in real need,” District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman said. “We hold our law enforcement officers to a higher degree of trust because they are sworn to serve and protect us. Collecting unemployment while working full time is selfish, greedy and most of all, unlawful, and this kind of conduct will be fully prosecuted.”
Mastrocinque received $42,750 in unemployment benefits from the state. Grant received $34,800, prosecutors claim.
Mastrocinque and Grant are set to be arraigned Friday.
If convicted as charged, they each face up to five years in state prison.