The Nation : Samoa Delegate Pleads Guilty in Scam

American Samoa’s non-voting delegate to Congress and his chief aide pleaded guilty to charges they operated a payroll padding scheme that netted $130,920 from paychecks issued to ghost employees. Delegate Fofo I. F. Sunia, a Democrat, and his chief aide, Matthew Iuli, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to defraud the government. Iuli, who continues to be the congressman’s chief aide even though he began cooperating with prosecutors 18 months ago, also pleaded guilty to a second charge of filing a false payroll authorization form. Defense attorney Earl Silbert told U.S. District Judge Stanley Harris that Sunia would resign before sentencing, which was scheduled for Oct. 4. Sunia could receive a five-year sentence and a possible fine of $250,000.