CALIFORNIA—On Sunday, March 15, the Los Angeles Police Department announced that the Special Operations Division, Major Complaint Unit, arrested Police Officer III Peter Mastrocinque and Police Officer II Nicole Grant after the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office filed felony charges related to Unemployment Insurance fraud under California Penal Code Section 550(a)(5) and Insurance Code Section 2101(a).
Mastrocinque was appointed to the Department on September 16, 2008, and Grant on October 31, 2016. Both officers are assigned to Newton Division and have been placed on administrative leave as part of this investigation.
The investigation, led by the Special Operations Division Major Complaint Unit, responsible for investigating criminal misconduct by Department employees, including fraud, focused on Unemployment Insurance applications submitted by Mastrocinque and Grant during 2020 and 2021.
The investigation followed a 2023 review by the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office of suspected Unemployment Insurance fraud involving applications submitted during the COVID-19 pandemic. The review raised concerns about applications associated with multiple individuals, including Mastrocinque and Grant, and was subsequently referred to the Los Angeles Police Department’s Special Operations Division for further investigation.
Investigators working in partnership with the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Justice System Integrity Division developed probable cause to believe Mastrocinque and Grant submitted fraudulent Unemployment Insurance applications and received payments to which they were not entitled. Both officers surrendered themselves, were booked, and later released.
The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office has filed the following felony charges against both officers:
• Penal Code 550(a)(5): Insurance Fraud
• Insurance Code 2101(a): False Statement in Application for Insurance
Grant was assigned Booking Number 7199424, and Mastrocinque was assigned Booking Number 7199437.
The Los Angeles Police Department’s Special Operations Division Major Complaint Unit investigates unemployment insurance fraud, abuse of benefits, and other allegations of criminal misconduct involving Department personnel. The Unit is committed to investigating fraud and benefits abuse to ensure accountability, safeguard public resources, and uphold the integrity of the Department.
