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Federal court grants Pelisamen more time to prepare, lawyer still missing
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Posted on Dec 14 2008
The federal court has granted a former estate administrator’s request for more time to review the evidence in the wire fraud and money laundering case that he faces along with a wanted lawyer.
U.S. District Court for the NMI Chief Judge Alex R. Munson accepted Luis Kaipat Pelisamen’s waiver of his right to a speedy trial.
Munson determined that “the ends of justice would be served” by giving Pelisamen and his court-appointed counsel, Douglas Cushnie, more time to review the evidence in preparation for trial.
The judge set the jury trial for April 20, 2009, at 9am.
Munson ordered that Pelisamen be allowed to remain at liberty under all the same terms and conditions as the court had previously set.
In January 2008, the Federal Bureau of Investigation arrested Pelisamen following an indictment that charged him and attorney Joseph Aldan Arriola of stealing $625,575 from the Rita Kaipat estate’s account.
As of Friday, the FBI has yet to arrest Arriola, who had reportedly fled the CNMI.
Pelisamen used to be the administrator of the Kaipat estate. Arriola served as Pelisamen’s counsel in that probate.
Then Superior Court Associate Judge Juan T. Lizama kicked out both Pelisamen and Arriola from the estate after finding that some money in the estate was missing.
According to the indictment, Arriola and Pelisamen transferred funds belonging to the Kaipat estate from the Bank of Guam to the Bank of Hawaii on Nov. 28, 2005, thereby causing communications by wire between Saipan and Hawaii.
In October 2007, police arrested Pelisamen for allegedly engaging in a sponsorship scheme in which many alien workers whose entry permits are nearing expiration were recruited for a fee.
