PAGO PAGO (Pacnews) — The head of this U.S. territory’s agency that coordinates local efforts during emergencies was arraigned Tuesday last week on 70 counts, including embezzlement, criminal fraud, falsifying an affidavit and employment information, and using a forged document.
Faamausili K. Pola, director of the Territorial Emergency Management Coordinating Office, is accused of hiring two ghost employees as janitors at the office at separate times beginning in 2005.
Pola, who was arrested Monday night last week, was placed on leave of absence without pay in February as territorial attorneys complete their investigation.
His bail was set at $30,000, defense attorney Sharron Rancourt said.
The ghost employees were identified in court documents as Mika Ilimaleota and Aneterea Mikaele.
Mikaele, who came from neighboring Samoa to do domestic work for Pola’s family was first hired on a year’s contract with emergency office using Ilimaleota’s name.
Later, Ilimaleota worked using his own name and papers. They were both hired, at separate times for $12,000 a year.
All the paychecks amounting to about $20,000 were made out to Ilimaleota, according to prosecutors.