OMAHA, Neb. — Authorities allege that the granddaughters of Caterina Malara, founder of Malara’s Italian Restaurant, stole over $500,000 from her while her health was declining. Malara passed away in 2023.
Ashley Gomez faces two counts of theft. She is accused of opening multiple fraudulent credit cards and paying them off using the restaurant’s bank account, totaling more than $250,000. Investigators note that only about $10,000 of this sum is still within the statute of limitations.
Gomez and her sister, Alexandria Kuta, are also accused of writing themselves $150,000 in checks, claiming they were gifts from Malara. Family members said Malara never authorized these gifts and was a vulnerable adult at the time.
Authorities stated that the sisters returned the money to a trust a few months later, but recordings suggest they pressured Malara into signing the checks, which she never consented to.
Both sisters now face felony charges and potential prison time. They are scheduled to appear in court on Friday.
