A former employee of Forsgrens Store at Nu’uuli, who has admitted to stealing more than $110,000 appeared in the District Court last Friday, after she was arrested and charged the day before.
According to a Samoa News report, Jennifer Atafua told investigators that she used the money to make her car payments, pay bills, give to her church, and pay for a family trip to Australia.
Atafua is charged with stealing and embezzlement, both class C felonies, punishable by up to seven years in jail, a $5,000 fine, or both.
Judge Sunia set Atafua’s bond at $90,000.
If she posts bond, the court has ordered that she remain law abiding, not leave or attempt to leave the territory, and she has to surrender her travel documents to the government’s attorney.
She is also ordered not to make direct or indirect contact with the government’s witnesses.
Atafua’s preliminary examination is scheduled for Nov. 1 at 10:30a.m.
She was represented by private attorney Marcellus T. Uiagalelei, and Assistant Attorney General Christy Dunn was the prosecuting attorney.
