By Johnnie Rosario and Eric Rosario, Kandit News
Seven Guamanians tied directly to the top offices of the government of Guam will stand trial in the U.S. District Court of Guam starting September 3, 2025, when selection will begin for the jury that will decide whether they are guilty of a slew of federal corruption charges. And the defense might be without their star player after a contentious morning hearing before Judge Michael Bordallo, where one of the defendants appears to be breaking away from the rest.
On Wednesday, June 25, the federal grand jury indicted Lt. Governor Joshua Tenorio’s sister, Charissa Tenorio, her boyfriend Frankie Rosalin, the lieutenant governor’s boyfriend Matthew Topasna, Mr. Rosalin’s mother Tina Sanchez, Ms. Sanchez’s sister Winnie Jo Santos, and government of Guam employees Kathleen Peredo and Marlene Pinaula for crimes involving federal program theft, conspiracy, money laundering, wire fraud, mail fraud, and witness tampering amounting to an alleged ripoff of at least $1.9 million in federal funds meant for the poor. Ms. Tenorio is alleged to have taken proceeds from Pandemic Unemployment Assistance Program recipients who were poor, and who she and others are accused of fraudulently qualifying for PUA payments.
The defendants self surrendered to the Federal Bureau of Investigation Friday morning, were arrested, then brought before the federal court for what was supposed to be their arraignment that day. Attorney Jay Arriola, according to the minute proceedings that day, made a motion to allow him to represent two of the defendants. Sources said that Mr. Arriola originally was representing Ms. Peredo, and had been her attorney for months prior to the indictments and as the federal investigation was growing. On Friday, however, Mr. Arriola was seen escorting Mr. Topasna. The court moved the arraignment to 1:15 p.m. Thursday, with a hearing to precede the arraignment at 11 a.m.
At the 11 a.m. hearing, the court was informed that Mr. Arriola no longer was representing Ms. Peredo, but is representing Mr. Topasna. This is when a disagreement was revealed that has placed a cloud over whether Mr. Arriola can continue to be a lawyer in the case at all.
According to Briana Kottke, the attorney appointed by the court to represent Ms. Peredo, her client is rescinding a conflict waiver she signed Friday that essentially stated she did not have a problem with Mr. Arriola also representing Mr. Topasna if a conflict of interest arose. Ms. Kottke said her client had been looking for another attorney since then, only to find out that the other defendants in the case had caused several of the few criminal trial lawyers who have experience practicing before the federal court to be conflicted out. When Ms. Kottke, on behalf of her client, to disqualify Mr. Arriola from the case, referencing “talks between” Ms. Peredo and Mr. Arriola when she was his client, Mr. Arriola asked the court to seal the remainder of the hearing from the public, which the judge granted.
Prior to the sealing, Ms. Peredo asked to be arraigned, and pleaded not guilty to all charges. Mr. Topasna asked also to be arraigned, but the judge denied his request because the issue of who would be his attorney had yet to be resolved.
By the afternoon arraignment, the matter of Mr. Arriola’s continued representation of Mr. Topasna or any of the defendants had yet to be ruled on by Judge Michael Bordallo, who then set a July 29 arraignment for the lieutenant governor’s boyfriend.
By this time, the remainder of the defendants – Ms. Tenorio, Mr. Rosalin, Ms. Sanchez, Ms. Santos, and Ms. Pinaula – had arrived to court. Ms. Tenorio’s attorney, Kristine Borja, asked the court that her client be furnished by the government with the names of the people listed in her indictment by initial. Judge Bordallo reminded the attorney that such discovery comes much later in the trial. All the defendants, except for Mr. Topasna, then pleaded not guilty to all the charges.
All the defendants continue to be free from detention with conditions, including limited movements throughout the island, drug testing and rehabilitation for some, and a prohibition on the possession and use of narcotics, firearms, and excessive alcohol consumption.
No further information about the “talks” between Mr. Arriola and his former client Ms. Peredo was referenced in open court.
