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The U.S. government has asked the District Court of Guam to order the forfeiture of more than $7 million from Michael L. Marasigan, Christine C. Chan and Jose Arthur “Art” D. Chan Jr. following their conviction in a multimillion-dollar illegal Hafa Adai bingo and wire fraud scheme, according to the U.S. government’s forfeiture motion filed Monday. A federal court jury on May 13 found Marasigan, Christine Chan and Arthur Chan guilty of conspiracy to operate an illegal gambling business, money laundering conspiracy, and conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Marasigan and Christine Chan were also convicted on multiple counts of money laundering, court documents stated. The government's motion seeks in personam money judgments of: $5,871,493 for Marasigan$871,500 for Christine Chan$339,013 for Art Chan They represent proceeds obtained from the crimes, according to court documents. From March 2015 through Dec. 31, 2021, Marasigan, Christine Chan, Arthur Chan and co-conspirators Alfredo Leon Guerrero, Minda San Nicolas and Juanita Capulong defrauded patrons at Guam Shrine Club’s Hafa Adai Bingo by falsely claiming funds would support transporting children to the Shriner’s Hospital for Children in Hawaii, court documents stated. An IRS special agent testified the operation generated at least $34 million in gross bingo proceeds. After operational costs and payouts, net proceeds totaled $10,891,182, with $10,750,804 laundered for the defendants’ benefit, according to court documents. Bank records show $2,326,180 was distributed to co-conspirator Won Sun Min. From the remaining $8,424,624, Marasigan issued checks totaling $2,553,131 to Christine Chan, Minda San Nicolas and Juanita Capulong or their entities and kept $5,871,493. Christine Chan used $339,013 of her funds to pay Art Chan’s credit card debts. The government cited federal statutes allowing mandatory criminal forfeiture to prevent defendants from profiting from criminal activity. Legal precedent permits in personam money judgments even if defendants no longer possess the proceeds, court documents stated. The motion asks the court to enter the forfeiture orders immediately and include the amounts in both the oral sentence and formal judgment, according to court documents. The three co-defendants, Leon Guerrero, San Nicolas and Capulong, pleaded guilty and testified. Arrest warrant Sentencing was initially set for Aug. 14, with all three defendants released under pretrial conditions. However, in June, Magistrate Judge Michael J. Bordallo issued an arrest warrant for Marasigan after he failed to return from a court-approved trip to the Philippines. He was due back June 20 but did not appear. Marasigan responded on June 21, saying he missed his flight and would return the next night but did not update the court or appear at the June 23 court hearing. While Marasigan had previously been granted several supervised trips abroad, this was his first violation of pretrial release since his May 2023 indictment. Marasigan's objections Despite the travel violation and unconfirmed return to Guam, Marasigan, through attorney Mike Phillips, filed formal objections on Oct. 22 to an Oct. 2 draft presentence report, opposing allegations of illegal gambling, money laundering and wire fraud. In the objections, Marasigan rejected claims that he ran an illegal gambling, misused a nonprofit, or engaged in money laundering and wire fraud involving $30,042,426 in reported wire proceeds. He said he received no more than $2 million to $3 million with Ideal Ventures and the Shriners, denied owing the Shrine Club, and disputed claims he led criminal activity or obstructed justice, court documents stated. Marasigan also challenged alleged misconduct and inflated earnings, opposed claims he misrepresented his work for a nonprofit, and said the main trial dispute involved only a few days Hafa Adai Bingo ran without a permit, with no evidence he misrepresented his relationship with the Shriners.
