San Agustin denies knowledge of conspiracy

Sen. Joe San Agustin has denied his involvement in, or knowledge of an alleged conspiracy among seven people charged in the U.S. District Court of Guam last month.

Kandit in early July broke news of the senator’s membership in Guam Shrine Club, a former non-profit organization that for years held a government permit to operate Hafa Adai Bingo at the Guam Greyhound Park in Tamuning. Three former officers of the club, two women associated with them, and a businessman were indicted on 63 counts of federal crimes. They are accused of operating bingo as a business under the guise of a non-profit activity, while allegedly enriching themselves from millions of dollars in proceeds that otherwise should have gone to the stated purpose of the non-profit.

That stated purpose is to take children in medical need from Guam to Hawaii’s Shriners Hospital for surgery. But, according to the indictment, the scheme deprived more than 90 percent of the bingo proceeds from those children. The businessman, Michael Marasigan, is accused of pocketing $15 million during the period of the conspiracy for which the indictments were made: June 2015 through December 2021.

“Yes, still a Shriner, a member for 20 years,” Mr. San Agustin admitted to Kandit in a written response to a series of questions we sent the senator last week.

And while the senator was a member during the time of the alleged conspiracy, he said he was neither aware of it, aware of the use of the bingo proceeds, nor questioned by the Federal Bureau of Investigation or any law enforcement about the activity or any of the people involved in it.