LI Man Stole From Employers, Lied For Unemployment: US Attorney

A Rockville Centre man was arrested on Wednesday and charged with stealing from two companies he worked for, as well as trying to fraudulently obtain unemployment benefits from the state.

Andrew Garson, 37, of Rockville Centre was charged with two counts of wire fraud, each of which is punishable by up to 20 years in prison.

“As a public relations executive, Andrew Garson’s expertise in garnering positive attention for his clients is well known, even earning him a spot on the ‘40 Under 40’ in a popular industry magazine," said Manhattan U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman. "But behind the scenes, Garson allegedly schemed to steal from his employers, eventually costing them over $2 million in losses. Andrew Garson has likely generated his own (negative) publicity, and now faces the possibility of serious time in federal prison.”

According to prosecutors, between 2013 and 2018, Garson worked as an executive at two different marketing and public relations firms in new York City. Prosecutors say that, during that time, he lied to his two employers and made interstate wire transfers to steal millions of dollars.

Prosecutors say that Garson told clients at the second firm that they would be paid by his new employer for work done while he was employed at the first firm. In order to make the payments, prosecutors say Garson created fraudulent invoices claiming the clients were due payment for work on projects at the second firm. These fraudulent invoices cost the firm more than $2.5 million, prosecutors say.

While working at the first firm, prosecutors say Garson also used his corporate credit card for personal expenses, such as a $14,000 luxury watch. He later sold the watch to a jewelry store for about $4,000, prosecutors say, and then deposited that money in his personal bank account.

Prosecutors say he made similar purchases at the second firm, and submitted expense reports which claimed the same expenses on multiple different occasions.

After discovering the alleged fraud, the second firm fired Garson in November 2018. While applying for unemployment benefits, prosecutors say Garson lied about why he was fired. If he had told the truth, prosecutors say he would not have been eligible for unemployment benefits under state law. Because of the fraud, prosecutors say that, between December 2018 and March 2019, Garson received more than $5,000 of unemployment benefits he was not entitled to.