By Gina Tabonares
Variety News Staff

FORMER Guam Memorial Hospital associate administrator Therese Hart was in Superior Court yesterday to file a copy of a plea agreement she entered with the government in connection with a four-year-old criminal case.
Hart was charged with one count of improper influence of notary as a third-degree felony and official misconduct as a misdemeanor in connection with the questionable settlement she allegedly made with the hospital for the wrongful death of her sister Janice.
She reportedly forged the signature of her father, Pedro Q. Hart, to get a $150,000 settlement.
Her attorney, John Terlaje, has been negotiating with the Attorney General’s Office for a plea agreement since May last year.
In a brief interview yesterday, Hart told Variety of her desire to end the judicial proceedings and waive her appellate rights.
She was sentenced in 2005 after she entered a plea agreement in the money laundering charges filed against her in federal court.
Hart was first indicted in February 2003 with her former secretary, Ann Cabrera Perez, and notary, Deborah Alicto.
She allegedly influenced Alicto to notarize a document for her father who was not present during the notarization.
Hart and Perez were each charged with one count of improper influence of notary as a third-degree felony and official misconduct as a misdemeanor, while Alicto was charged with two counts of unlawful exercise of a notary function as a third-degree felony and official misconduct.
Perez was eventually cleared of the charges due to insufficient evidence, while Alicto, whose notary license was not renewed, recently entered into a plea agreement.
Hart is still facing a separate civil case with former Gov. Carl T.C. Gutierrez after Dr. Vince Akimoto questioned the settlement, saying that the scheme contributed to the debilitating financial condition of GMH.
Hart is scheduled to return to Judge Steven Unpingco’s courtroom on May 13 at 9 a.m.