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ASG’s $1.3 million of 'hacked' funds still held in Vietnam

Attorney General Talauega Eleasalo Ale has told lawmakers that the US government is still working to have the $1.3 million that was illegally transferred to a bank in Vietnam returned to the territorial government.

 

The illegal transfer surfaced three years ago when it was found that one of the American Samoa Government’s accounts with the Bank of Hawai’i was hacked and the money was wire transferred to an unknown account at the Vietnam International Bank (VIB), where the money has since remained frozen following requests from both the territory and the FBI to have it returned.

 

During the Department of Legal Affairs fiscal year 2016 budget hearing last Thursday, Sen. Gaea Perefoti Failautusi asked Talauega if the $1.3 million had been returned to ASG, as they could use these funds now.

 

Talauega responded that ASG has not yet received the money, although it was to have been turned over earlier this year to Gov. Lolo Matalasi Moliga, while the governor was in Washington D.C. for meetings.

 

Talauega says the Vietnamese government is still holding on to the $1.3 million and the US departments of State and Justice are still working, on behalf of American Samoa, to have these funds returned ASAP.