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Customs office at port temporarily closed

Community News Briefs
reporters@samoanews.com

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — “Due to an unexpected and sudden restroom issue” at the Customs Office, at the main dock in Fagatogo, the Customs Office is temporarily closed until further notice, according to the Treasury Department in a notice issued yesterday afternoon.

In order to minimize the disruption for consignees, the processing unit of the Customs Division will be relocated to the Inspection Unit office located in the Port Administration warehouse, it says.

The processing unit will conduct normal operations during regular business hours. All normal inspections will be conducted as needed.  As soon as the restroom issue is resolved, a public notice will be issued.

For questions, please contact the Customs Division at 633-5682.

ONE WEEK LEFT TO REGISTER FOR DISASTER ASSISTANCE WITH FEMA

There is one week left to register for disaster assistance with the US Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

The Disaster Recovery Center, located inside the DYWA Pago Pago Youth Center, is open to anyone who suffered damage from Tropical Storm Gita. The last day to register is Tuesday, May 1.

You may go directly to the DRC even if you have not pre-registered. Staff will be at the DRC to process any survivors.

The center will be open Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., and closed on Sundays. Only heads of household need to attend.

You may call (684) 699-2018 instead of going to the DRC if you have already registered and have questions about your registration or the benefits that are available.

Applicants are reminded to have the following documents on hand: social security number; address of the damaged primary residence; description of the damage; information about insurance coverage, if applicable; current contact telephone number; address where they can receive mail; and bank account and routing numbers for direct deposit of funds.

TAX FRAUDSTER TO SELF-SURRENDER AND SERVE 24 MONTHS IN JAIL

The American Samoan woman sentenced early this month at the federal court in Anchorage, Alaska for bilking the federal government out of more than $100,000 by filing false tax claims with the US Internal Revenue Service, is required to complete community service and self surrender at a designated federal prison, according to the latest court filings.

Corina F. Ifopo, 54, who resides in Honolulu, was sentenced Apr. 3rd to 24 months in jail after she pled guilty last December to 28 counts of filing false tax returns for residents of American Samoa who don't quality for the federal Earned Income Tax Credit.

According to the final judgment in the case, the court recommends to the US Bureau of Prisons that the defendant serve her jail term at the Federal Detention Center in Honolulu; or the alternative at the Federal Correctional Institution in Dublin, California.

Ifopo is to self surrender to the designated federal prison, on a date and time to be provided by the Probation or Pretrial Services Office, according to court documents, which also note that she serve 3 years of supervised release, after serving the jail term, and pay a total restitution of $167,574 to the IRS.

Among the many “special conditions” of supervised release is that the defendant shall complete 40 hours of community work service, as scheduled by the probation officer.