Poker Writer
Allegations of illegal gambling, conspiracy, and money laundering have been brought against a non-profit organization in the district court of Guam. The Guam Shrine Club conducted bingo games for charity before it was discovered that it was allegedly doing far more than that. Authorities charged seven different individuals in connection with the conspiracy.
The suspicion began when the organization failed to file the organization’s exempt form return from income tax, as it was supposed to each year. But this year, that failed to happen. The allegations occurred over a period from 2015 to 2021.
Bingo Game Funds For Charity Corrupted
The bingo games were held to raise funds to assist children with transportation to the Shriners Hospital in Hawaii for medical care not available in Guam. According to the indictment filed with the district court:
It was the object of the conspiracy for the defendants to unjustly enrich themselves and others by operating an illegal gambling business under the guise of charitable and civic fundraising.
Beyond the games themselves, a few of the individuals involved also authorized signatures on accounts that they used to pay profit distribution checks to conspirators. The checks paid expenses that conspirators incurred from funds related to illegal gambling.
The FBI outlined seriousness of the charges and how the corruption damaged the public’s trust in charitable causes. Special agent David Porter with FBI Honolulu stated:
These defendants defrauded their own community, taking charity money meant for sick children and using it for their own financial gain. These crimes are particularly offensive because they undermine the public’s faith in charitable giving. The FBI will continue to aggressively pursue these cases and hold criminals accountable.
90-Year-Old Among Those Charged
The seven individuals charged faced a variety of charges and were fined various amounts. All of them were older individuals, with the youngest being 54 and the oldest spanning all the way to 90.
Alfredo Leon Guerrero pleaded guilty to a conspiracy to commit money laundering. The 90-year-old was then sentenced to one year of supervised release and was required to pay a $100 fee and restitution of $1,095,907 to the Aloha Shriners.
The youngest of the accused received the harshest penalty. 54-year-old Michael Marasigan was sentenced to 262 months in prison and over $10 million in restitution to Aloha Shriners.
Married couple 77-year-old Jose Arthur Chan and 60-year-old Christine Chan received 60-month and 70-month sentences, respectively.
Gambling in Guam
Gambling is prohibited in Guam in nearly all forms. The lone exception is certain organizations that conduct bingo games for charity.
The small island territory of under 200,000 people has had restricted gambling for decades. Historically, it is believed that the Catholic Church is the reason why gambling is so limited in Guam. However, that may not be the entire reason. The nearby nation of The Philippines is also heavily Catholic and does have casinos.
