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SECOND CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT FOR EIGHT YEARS, TWO SISTERS ACCUSED OF STEALING MORE THAN HALF $1 MILLION FROM THEIR OWN GRANDMOTHER APPEAR IN COURT. BOTH ARE FACING FELONY CHARGES AND POTENTIALLY YEARS BEHIND BARS. KETV NEWSWATCH SEVEN’S PETE CUDAHY WAS IN COURT TODAY AND JOINS US NOW WITH THE LATEST. THE ALLEGED THEFT DATES BACK TO 2023. THEIR GRANDMOTHER, KATERINA MELARA, DIED THAT YEAR AND WAS THE OWNER OF MALLORY’S ITALIAN RESTAURANT. THE GRANDDAUGHTERS ACCUSED ARE ASHLEY GOMEZ AND ALEXANDRIA CUDA. GOMES WAS ACCUSED OF OPENING SEVERAL FRAUDULENT CREDIT CARDS, WHICH SHE PAID OFF USING THE RESTAURANT’S BANK ACCOUNT, TOTALING TO OVER $250,000. HOWEVER, ONLY 10,000 OF THAT IS STILL WITHIN THE STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS. THE SISTERS ARE ALSO ACCUSED OF WRITING THEMSELVES. EACH INDIVIDUAL CHECKS FOR $150,000, BUT THEY LATER RETURNED THAT MONEY TO A TRUST. THE ALLEGED $150,000 WAS RETURNED, SO I THINK WE’RE LOOKING AT A SMALLER AMOUNT HERE THAT’S ALLEGEDLY MISSING. BOTH OF THEM HAD THEIR BOND SET
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Granddaughters charged with stealing hundreds of thousands from Omaha restaurant owner will go to trial
The women accused of stealing more than $500,000 in forged checks and illegal credit card transactions from their grandmother will go to trial.Omaha police said the victim was Caterina Malara, the founder of Malara’s Italian Restaurant in Omaha, who died in 2023.Her granddaughters, Ashley Gomez and Alexandria Kuta, are each charged in the case.Previous coverage: Omaha restaurateur’s grandchildren receive bond for theft chargesGomez, who faces two counts of theft, is accused of opening several fraudulent credit cards and paying them off using the restaurant’s bank account, totaling more than $250,000. However, investigators said only about $10,000 of this amount is still within the statute of limitations.Gomez and Kuta, who is charged with one count of theft, are also accused of writing themselves $150,000 checks, claiming they were gifts from Malara.Family members stated that Malara never mentioned these gifts and was a vulnerable adult at the time the checks were written.Granddaughters accused of stealing hundreds of thousands from Omaha restaurateurThe sisters eventually returned the money to a trust a couple of months after cashing the checks.Authorities said that despite the money being returned, they have recordings showing the sisters pressed Malara to authorize the checks, which she never did.Gomez and Kuta waived their preliminary hearings and were bound over to District Court for trial.Make sure you can always see the latest news, weather, sports and more from KETV NewsWatch 7 on Google search.NAVIGATE: Home | Weather | Local News | National | Sports | Newscasts on demand |
The women accused of stealing more than $500,000 in forged checks and illegal credit card transactions from their grandmother will go to trial.
Omaha police said the victim was Caterina Malara, the founder of Malara’s Italian Restaurant in Omaha, who died in 2023.
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Her granddaughters, Ashley Gomez and Alexandria Kuta, are each charged in the case.
Previous coverage: Omaha restaurateur’s grandchildren receive bond for theft charges
Gomez, who faces two counts of theft, is accused of opening several fraudulent credit cards and paying them off using the restaurant’s bank account, totaling more than $250,000. However, investigators said only about $10,000 of this amount is still within the statute of limitations.
Gomez and Kuta, who is charged with one count of theft, are also accused of writing themselves $150,000 checks, claiming they were gifts from Malara.
Family members stated that Malara never mentioned these gifts and was a vulnerable adult at the time the checks were written.
Granddaughters accused of stealing hundreds of thousands from Omaha restaurateur
The sisters eventually returned the money to a trust a couple of months after cashing the checks.
Authorities said that despite the money being returned, they have recordings showing the sisters pressed Malara to authorize the checks, which she never did.
Gomez and Kuta waived their preliminary hearings and were bound over to District Court for trial.
Make sure you can always see the latest news, weather, sports and more from KETV NewsWatch 7 on Google search.
NAVIGATE: Home | Weather | Local News | National | Sports | Newscasts on demand |
