Pelisamen took the witness stand and underwent direct examination by his lawyer, Douglas Cushnie.
The jury trial started on Monday morning after U.S. District Court for the NMI Chief Judge Alex R. Munson completed the jury selection.
Pelisamen was arrested by Federal Bureau of Investigation agents in Jan. 2008 for conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud and money laundering.
The indictment stated that from Sept. 2005 to May 2006, Pelisamen and his co-defendant, Joseph Arriola, who was his lawyer, committed conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
Pelisamen was appointed as the administrator of the estate on Sept. 27, 2005.
According to the indictment, both defendants worked together and drafted 66 checks from Nov. 30, 2005 to May 10, 2006 amounting to $219,000 drawn against the Kaipat estate and payable to both of them, money to which they had no lawful claim.
They transferred money from the Kaipat estate on Nov. 28, 2005, from the Bank of Guam to the Bank of Hawaii, causing communications by wire between Saipan and Honolulu Hawaii, and transmitting money amounting to $1,377,058.39 to Honolulu, Hawaii, the indictment stated.
