Tech Exec Accused Of Scamming BK Diocese Schools Pleads Guilty

BROOKLYN, NY — A technology executive accused of stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from local Catholic schools has pleaded guilty to wire fraud, prosecutors announced.

John Comito, the CEO of AutoExec Computer Systems in Staten Island, made the guilty plea in Brooklyn federal court on Monday, nearly a year after he was charged with wire and mail fraud for the scheme, prosecutors said.

Comito, 69, was accused of pocketing $426,000 that was meant to be used to set up internet service for disadvantaged students in 26 Brooklyn Diocese's schools.

“Crimes like these make you shake your head in disbelief. This was no Robin Hood story, but a story of greed and total disregard for those in need of a quality and accessible education," said Philip Bartlett, acting United States Attorney with the Eastern District. "Now with Mr. Comito’s guilty plea, he can spend his time paying for his theft of funds from the E-rate program and those who would have benefited from the needed telecommunication services the program provided."

Comito ran his scheme for at least four years between 2013 and 2017 before investigators caught onto the scam, according to authorities.

He did so through a program known as the Federal Communications Commission program, which distributes funds to mostly disadvantaged schools and libraries to help them set up telecommunication services, prosecutors said.

Comito was hired through his AutoExec company to give 26 of the Diocese's elementary, middle and high schools the internet service and equipment, but then not finish the job, prosecutors said.

He left at least eight of the schools without any services and the rest with substandard or partial services, authorities said.

The Brooklyn Diocese, based in Windsor Terrace, oversees dozens of schools in Brooklyn and Queens.

But, despite not finishing his work, Comito sent false documents to the FCC saying he had completed internet services for the schools. He got about $426,000 from the federal program, prosecutors said.

The Staten Island executive faces up to 20 years in prison for his guilty plea, prosecutors said.