Appearing before U.S. District Court for the NMI Designated Judge David A. Wiseman, Salamat pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of wire fraud.
Salamat, a.k.a. Armilaine Legaspi Lizama or Armie, and her court-appointed attorney Loren Sutton signed a plea agreement with the federal government represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirk Schuler.
Upon the recommendation of the Federal Probation Office, Wiseman maintained the release conditions earlier imposed on Salamat.
Salamat’s co-defendant Ana Maria Villadiego Villegas, a.k.a. Anna Marie V. Villegas or Mary Ann, is currently out on bail.
She is the former co-owner of Philippine Express Remittance while Salamat is the former manager of PNB Express remittance center.
Villegas’ jury trial is scheduled for Aug. 23, 2010.
According to the indictment, Salamat, starting in 2004, allowed Villegas to transact many worthless checks at PNB Express.
Salamat also transferred funds into a foreign bank account, based on Villegas’ worthless checks, the indictment stated.
