Court sends woman to prison for bank fraud
The U.S. District Court yesterday sentenced a woman to 16 months in prison for bank fraud conviction.
Rosalina Marie Tudela Gabutin unlawfully obtained over $35,680 from the First Hawaiian Bank.
Chief Judge Alex R. Munson said Gabutin would be on supervised release for five years after her release from a federal prison facility.
The judge also tasked Gabutin to perform 400 hours of community service, and to pay restitution amounting to $55,482.94.
When U.S. prosecutor Patrick Smith filed criminal charges against Gabutin, he and Gabutin, who was assisted by lawyer Perry Inos, also filed with the court a plea agreement, wherein she agreed to pay the bank some $35,680.75 and MKI Air Conditioning and Refrigeration some $20,000.
Before this, MKI’s owner Michael W. Kennedy filed with the federal court a civil action against Gabutin, accusing the woman of forging company checks worth over $360,000.
As administrative assistant for MKI, Gabutin used to prepare checks for Kennedy’s signature, update and maintain account balances, and prepare payable and receivable accounts.
From June 8 to Nov. 20,2001, Gabutin prepared several checks drawn from MKI’s bank accounts with the First Hawaiian Bank, according to Kennedy. He said the checks were to be issued to different payees.
Kennedy said Gabutin forged the signatures on the checks and encashed them at the bank, obtaining at least $363,852.10 for her own use.
