StarKist CEO applauds the Former Samoa News governor’s support intern turned US Army sol- Page 3 dier PFC Tauti, Sina pictured with Ms. American Samoa Antonina Lilomaiava during Fesiligia Sataua faai’uga ASTCA i Samoa Flag Day celebrations tagata faigaluega in Washington state last week. PFC Tauti is currently sta- Le Lali tioned at Fort Lewis, WA and is the daughter of David and Rotary Swimming Pool Project Fiti Danielson-Tauti of Aasu nearing completion and Aoloau. Sports [courtesy photo] ONLINE @ SAMOANEWS.COM C M Y K DAILY CIRCULATION 7,000 PAGO PAGO, AMERICAN SAMOA FRIDAY, JULY 13, 2017 $1.00 Another American Samoan busted for filing fraudulent tax returns for locals in US 28-COUNT INDICTMENT IS HANDED DOWN BY A FEDERAL GRAND JURY IN ALASKA by Fili Sagapolutele Investigation Division, and the American Samoa Samoa News Correspondent Department of Homeland Security’s Office of A 54-year-old woman, whom federal prosecu- Territorial and International Criminal Intelli- tors say is from American Samoa, was arrested gence and Drug Enforcement (OTICIDE) Divi- Tuesday in Honolulu on charges of filing fraud- sion. Most of the investigation on the matter was ulent tax returns with the US Internal Revenue conducted in American Samoa. In an effort to keep kids busy during summer break and to help Service (IRS) for local residents, who do not Assistant U.S. Attorney Aunnie Steward, who adults get the daily exercise they need, the folks at Fagaloa Bas- qualify to receive the federal Earned Income Tax presented the case to the grand jury, said in a ketball Development kicked off their annual summer basketball Credit (or EITC). statement late Tuesday afternoon that Ifopo filed clinic earlier this month. Coriana Ifopo is charged under a 28-count tax returns on behalf of over 200 other individ- Fagaloa Basketball Development president Michael Pereira indictment handed down on June 20 by a federal uals living in American Samoa. told Samoa News yesterday that the summer clinics, which grand jury in Anchorage, Alaska, where the case Ifopo is alleged to have falsely claimed that are fully backed by the American Samoa Basketball Associa- is being prosecuted, according to electronic court the individuals lived in the US, including Alaska, tion (ASBA) — for which he is a board member — have been documents with the federal court in Anchorage, and falsely claimed that they were owed refunds an annual event for about a decade and the program seems to which issued the arrest warrant for the defendant. when they were not. gain popularity every year, evident with the growing number of For her alleged crime, Ifopo is accused of However, the five-page indictment shows only participants. causing more than $1.3 million in lost money to 28 individuals, identified in court documents by This year, over 50 kids, as young as five years old, are at the the federal government. their initials, with the dates of when the tax was Aua basketball court everyday learning the basics of dribbling, Samoa News confirmed yesterday that the filed with the IRS or when the IRS refund was ball handling, shooting, and defending. joint investigation into this case involved the issued — going back to May 20, 2014 with the While the program was initially set up for kids to learn the US Internal Revenue Service (IRS) — Criminal game, build good sportsmanship, and develop friendships, (Continued on page 6) Pereira said the clinics have expanded to include participation from adults - some of whom are over 40 years old - looking for a way to burn calories and stay fit. “Some of the old folks are parents whose kids are in the clinics, and some are just adults looking to break a sweat,” he said. “They C M asked for permission to play and we gave them the ok, as it is a Y K great way to help in the fight against diseases like diabetes and high blood pressure.” The program concludes in two weeks and is free of charge. It is not limited to kids and adults from Aua. As a matter of fact, a good number of participants are from other Fagaloa vil- lages like Pago Pago, Leloaloa, and Atu’u. “Anyone who wants to play is welcomed to join,” Pereira said. The clinics are held everyday Monday through Friday from 2 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Pereira and four other coaches oversee the program which the kids describe as “awesome” and “fun”. On Saturdays, the clinics shift to the ASCC gymnasium where the kids take what they learned during that week and put it to the test by playing against their peers from the Central and West Side Divisions. “We want the kids to play together and get a chance to use what they learn from the clinics, on the court,” Pereira concluded. Catch the action today by stopping by the Aua basketball court (across the street from the Aua Elementary School campus). After months of waiting — the government is once again releasing tax returns. Yesterday, tax Pictured are some of the kids currently learning how to shoot payers lined up at the EOB, on the first floor, to pick up their tax return checks. According to the hoops. Tax Office, $2.44 million was released yesterday to people who filed their taxes from February 2-17, [Photo: courtesy] 2017 [photo AF] Page 2 samoa news, Thursday, July 13, 2017 Some soft landings for Trumps, but rumblings at Fox NEW YORK (AP) — Like last summer’s meeting with his son the night before, Presi- Natalia Veselnitskaya took dent Donald Trump sought out place. His interview’s enduring a friendly face in the media value may be in putting Trump Wednesday with the news still on the record on several points, dominated by talk of Donald saying the meeting offered little Trump Jr.’s meeting with a of value, that there were no woman tied to Russian leaders follow-up emails or meetings, who offered campaign dirt on he didn’t fill in his father about Hillary Clinton. it, that he felt it didn’t represent The president was inter- collusion and that he’d coop- viewed in the White House by erate fully with a special pros- Pat Robertson, the 87-year-old ecutor looking into the Trump founder of the Christian Broad- team’s dealings with Russia. casting Network. It was his first Hannity said he’d asked non-Fox News Channel inter- Trump “every question I could view in several weeks. Rob- think of.” Although Trump sup- ertson did not ask about the story porters in the media had their involving the president’s son, defenses ready, there were signs a spokesman said. It seemed that not everyone on Trump- to be on the president’s mind, friendly media were buying the Governor addresses since he told Robertson that he talking points that the latest rev- doubted reports that Russian elations were an overreaction President Vladimir Putin would from a hysterical media. In a rather see him as president than statement about his son, Presi- Clinton. In the overture his son dent Trump praised his “trans- had received for the meeting parency” in releasing the mate- terrorism last summer, Trump Jr. was told rial. Fox News Channel anchor that Putin supported his father’s Shepard Smith reported that LOOKING TO PROPOSE STRICT candidacy. Trump also spoke President Trump had praised REQUIREMENTS FOR FOREIGNERS ENTERING AS Wednesday to Reuters, telling his son’s “transparency” in the news agency that he wished releasing an email exchange he had asked Putin whether he about last summer’s meeting, by Fili Sagapolutele took control of the lakeside city inces by ISIS is causing con- was actively supporting his noting wryly that “transparency Samoa News Correspondent of Marawi in the Philippines in cern, due to terrorist activities. candidacy when the two heads is something that normally hap- Concerned with American May. The Philippine military Additionally, the issues of state met last week. “It’s pens prior to learning somebody Samoa being used as a con- continues raids to retake control mentioned by the governor really the one question I wish I else is about to document-dump duit for extremists to enter the of Marawi, which is in the trou- in his Samoan address to the would have asked Putin: Were you.” While on Monday Fox’s United States, Gov. Lolo Mata- bled Mindanao Province. Fono reflect potential criteria you actually supporting me?” Eric Bolling said the story “was lasi Moliga is looking at making Speaking at the joint session, to be used by the established Trump said. an insult to nothing-burgers,” recommendations to the Immi- Lolo said he had discussions Task Force to oversee drug Wednesday’s White House several commentators subse- gration Board on additional with local leaders and has come and human trafficking along briefing was off camera, led by quently suggested that it would steps to be taken in the vetting up with possible recommenda- with deterring terrorist activi- Sarah Huckabee Sanders. She be wrong to dismiss the story. process for foreigners entering tions to the Attorney General ties or ensuring that American was asked why the president “We shouldn’t get in front the territory. and the Immigration Board on Samoa is not used as the con- had not had any public appear- of our skis, either calling it a American Samoa is the only further improving the vetting duit through which terrorists ances in three days, and said he ‘nothing burger’ or collusion,” US territory that controls its process for foreigners seeking enter the United States. Fur- will appear at a news confer- said commentator Meghan own borders when it comes to to enter the territory; and to thermore, Immigration will ence in France on Thursday.