Former Employee of Environmental Consulting Firm Sentenced for Bank Fraud

          ALICIA A.G. LIMTIACO, United States Attorney for the Districts of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands, announced that EILEEN JOANNE CRUZ QUITUGUA, age 31, was sentenced today by Chief Judge Frances Tydingco-Gatewood of the District Court of Guam to serve 30 months in federal prison, and five years of supervised release, and to pay $159,735.76 in restitution and a $400 special assessment fee.  Defendant QUITUGUA pled guilty on December 3, 2015, to four counts of bank fraud in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1344.

          In her plea agreement, QUITUGUA admitted that from October 2011 to January 2014, she embezzled $159,735.76  from her employer Allied Pacific Environmental Consulting (APEC).  APEC hired her as its bookkeeper and she was responsible for preparing checks drawn on the company’s checking accounts maintained at First Hawaiian Bank.  QUITUGUA forged the signatures of the company owner and other authorized personnel on 221 company checks that totaled $159,735.76.  She wrote payroll checks for herself and checks ostensibly for petty cash, and used the stolen funds for her personal benefit.

          U.S. Attorney Limtiaco stated “The U.S. Attorney’s Office and its law enforcement partners are committed to investigating and prosecuting those who victimize and perpetrate fraud against members of our community, including businesses and financial institutions.”

          This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Marivic David.