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Two former TMO cashiers are arrested for stealing over $70,000

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One said she was desperate, the other said she's sorry
ausage@samoanews.com

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — Police arrested two former female Tautua Mo Oe (TMO) Incorporated cashiers this week on allegations that they allegedly stole thousands of dollars from their employer.

Malia One and Inosiaolouaiga Pauga made their initial appearances in District Court this week. Their preliminary examinations are scheduled for Dec.12, 2018 at 10 a.m.

One and Pauga are each charged with one count of stealing and one count of embezzlement, both class C felonies, punishable by up to seven years in jail and a $5,000 fine, or pursuant to A.S.C.A 46.2101, a fine equal to twice the amount of gain from the commission of said crime, up to a maximum of $20,000, or both.

Judge Fiti Sunia established One’s bail at $40,000 and $35,000 for Pauga.

If they post bond, the court has ordered that they surrender their travel documents to the government’s attorney, not leave or attempt to leave the territory, and remain law abiding. They are also ordered not to make any direct or indirect contact with all government witnesses.

Assistant Attorney General Christy Dunn is prosecuting the case, while Assistant Public Defender Anna Wells represents both defendants.

On the issue of bond, Wells requested that both be reduced to $10,000.

She said the defendants are longtime residents of American Samoa, both have strong families ties to their villages, and they are not flight risks. She said the government can file stop orders against both women to make sure they don't leave American Samoa, if they believe the two are flight risks.

Prosecutor Dunn strongly opposed the motion for bail reductions. She said that given the nature of the charges against both defendants, and the amount of money that they allegedly took, the government believes the bonds the court has already set are reasonable for each defendant.

In delivering his decision, Sunia echoed the government’s opposition and denied the motion.

MALIA ONE

The government claims that it was on the morning of Sept. 28, 2018 that a representative from TMO Inc. reported to the Tafuna Police Station that two of their former female employees stole money from the company.

TMO's auditor and accounting representative conducted an audit and her findings revealed several irregular amounts that were not consistent with the transactions made.

The audit report revealed that One and Pauga allegedly stole money from the cash register in small amounts and this continued until they accumulated several thousand dollars.

TMO filed a complaint against both of their former cashiers after the auditor’s report revealed a shortage in collected cash. The report disclosed that One took a total of $36,109.04 from TMO's wholesale department within a 9-month period.

There is a key on the cash machine labeled as RC. According to the Auditor’s report to police, One pressed that key and then would claim it was a wrong sale. One would allegedly keep the money she claimed was from a wrong sale instead of adding the sale to the daily cash log.

The government claims that this is the trail of One's alleged 'take' for this year:

January - $1,120.14/ February - $2,069.03/ March- $2,282.67/ April - $5,389.18/ May - $8,278.03/ June - $5,559.86/ July - $5,836.00/ August - $3,448.00/ September - $3,448.86.

According to the government, One stole a total of $37,431.77 from her former employer.

When interviewed by investigators at her residence in Fogagogo, One admitted and confessed to stealing money from TMO Inc. when she was a cashier in the wholesale department.

She told police she knew that what she was doing was wrong but she did it because she was desperate, as her and her family had a shortfall, in terms of finances.

INOSIAOLOUAIGA PAUGA

The government claims that on Nov. 8, 2018, investigators met with the TMO auditor regarding her findings when she reviewed the company’s files. According to the auditor, Pauga, a cashier at TMO since February 2018 had embezzled and stole money from the company between February and September this year.

The auditor’s report revealed that Pauga’s daily sales report and dates on the invoice number receipts did not match up with the daily logs.

Pauga allegedly pocketed cash payments made by customers. To conceal her embezzlement, she used previous invoice number receipts to deceive her employer.

The government alleges that Pauga stole $33,831.35 from TMO Inc.

February - $3,917.97/ March - $1,426.82/ April - $3,735.34/ May - $7,932.79/ June - $6,683.97/ July - $4,673.29/ August - $2,320.75/ September - $3,140.42

When questioned by investigators at her home in Vailoa, Pauga admitted to embezzling and stealing money from TMO Inc.

She apologized for her actions.