Woman tagged in theft case pleads guilty

One of two women accused of conspiring to steal money from six alien workers through deception has entered a guilty plea.

Geraldine D. Sebaklim signed a plea agreement with the government and pleaded guilty to theft by deception.

Superior Court Associate Judge Juan T. Lizama accepted Sebaklim’s plea and sentenced her to four years in jail, all suspended except the time she has already served in jail.

Lizama placed the defendant on a four-year probation and required her to pay $13,625 in restitution.

The judge said that in the event that Sebaklim’s co-defendant, Natividad C. Sablan, is convicted, the total amount of restitution will be reduced by half.

Such reduction will be made provided that Sablan is adjudged to be liable for the remaining amount, Lizama said.

Sebaklim was also ordered to pay a $200 fine plus court and probation fees.

On Jan. 1, 2005, the Attorney General’s Office filed an amended information charging Sebaklim, 37, and Sablan, 58, with eight counts of theft by deception, eight counts of conspiracy to commit theft by deception, three counts of forgery, and one count of immigration fraud.

In addition, Sebaklim was charged with issuance of bad checks.

Assistant attorney general Eric O’Malley stated in the information that Sebaklim and Sablan conspired to steal money through deception from Xianli Zeng in the amount of $4,500 cash; Chunying Li, $4,500; Shunyu Cai, $3,200; Shan Luo, $1,300; Fangyong Bin, $1,300; and Yong Lai, $1,300.

O’Malley said the defendants deceived the victims on April 10 and 14, 2004, Dec. 19, 2003, and in October 2003.

The prosecutor said on April 14 the defendants forged the names of Shan Luo, Fangyong Bin and Yong Lai on the “Michigan list.”

The defendants also tampered with official CNMI Immigration or Labor documents by altering the “Michigan list” last April.

O’Malley said on July 12, Sebaklim issued a bad check in the amount of $80,000 made payable to Zhao Lianyu.

On Jan.23, 2006, the AGO filed a second amended information charging Sebaklim with eight counts of theft by deception, one count of conspiracy to commit theft by deception, one count of forgery, one count of immigration fraud, and one count of issuance of bad checks.

The defendant and counsel assistant public defender Adam Hardwick signed a plea agreement with the government represented by O’Malley.

The factual basis of the agreement was that on April 10, 2004, Sebaklim got cash money from Xianli Zeng by creating and reinforcing a false impression that she could and would obtain legal employment for the victim’s relative.